There was blood everywhere.

A stench rose from the corpses that strewn the roads and alleys of the village. Half starving dogs dragged conspicuous body parts and the caw of cantankerous ravens became a din that rang in her ear.

She was no longer crying.

Hours earlier, the pain had been insufferable but she was now numb. As she walked past the masks of faces she once knew, she found the mockery staring back at her almost funny – almost.

There was kind-hearted Uncle Ying who ran the noodle store at the corner of the market street. He would always save extra dumplings for her. There was Aunty Jiang who was constantly bragging to her about how handsome her son was – Jiang Jian. His body was lying next to hers. Perhaps he wasn’t too bad after all, she thought. He was usually at the farm when she was selling vegetables at the market, so he must have run all the way here when the soldiers attacked.

There were too many familiar faces. She had tried very hard to get to know as many people as possible when she moved here a year ago. They had been simple and warm folk. When she saw the laughter, happiness and most importantly, content in their lives, the emotion had resonated with her and she found herself drawn to this place.

To toil the soil with an honest heart; to watch the sunrise with a cup of hot tea; to sweat tirelessly and watch the greenery flourish – such a simple existence. To cry and run when the sword strikes, that may be true but then to be able to embrace the future with laughter and gratitude the next day instead of being embroiled in the anxiety of revenge. Was that so bad?

These were indeed her very thoughts. So she became the widow Lady Ma from the capital, who had grown tired of the bustling city life when her husband passed away. She woke up to laugh and haggle with the locals in the morning, played weiqi with the uncles in the tea shop and roamed the evening streets to watch the children play.

Then they came.

She had been too naïve. Would the warlord simply let her go? It was fine for ordinary people to have ordinary lives, but once someone became something more than ordinary, even if they hid in a cave, their light would attract predators.

Just then, a light appeared in front of her and luscious red lips sneered into a smile that greeted her.

“Ah, little sister,” the stunning red-dressed lady began. “I was looking all over for you. I had heard you telling Lord Li that you had decided to retire to the countryside and I wanted to see what it was that captivated you so. But looking around, it is no wonder you chose this place. It’s a cemetery!” she laughed.

Lady Ma’s heart hardened immediately. The memory of who she used to be quickly replaced the person she had become.

Lady Ma smiled. “Dear sister, Lady Xia. This is indeed a surprise. You have caught me at such an importune time.”

Lady Xia replied, “Oh, it seems you are not distraught at all. I thought you might have been reduced into a dreadful state. Cemeteries sometimes have that effect on people. I have obviously underestimated you, little sister.”

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“You are too kind, older sister,” Lady Ma said. “To think you would have remembered such an insignificant person like me. I am really honoured. However, it is as I said, you really have caught me at the wrong time.”

“You are leaving for somewhere, little sister?” Lady Xia asked. “Even though you only left yesterday, Lord Li already misses you. And actually, he wanted me to invite you back to the capital. You are really so lucky to have Lord Li’s attention, little sister. You must not take his generosity for granted,” Lady Xia warned. “Lord Li is generous but he has such a nasty temper. Even though I have tried my very best to placate him, at times, who knows what he will do if someone makes him too angry,” she added.

Lady Ma decided not to say anymore and began to walk away.

Lady Xia’s eyes narrowed and her smile disappeared. “Stop this nonsense, Kai Shi!” Lady Xia exclaimed.

“I didn’t realize we were close enough for you to use my name, Lady Xia.” With that, she waived her hand and the glowing light dispersed immediately. With another step, she flew into the air and shot speedily into the distance. She could imagine Lady Xia’s anger and although it made her somewhat happier, she knew such petty revelry was pathetic and useless.

She thought back to the year that had passed and gave a short prayer of thanks to the spirits of all the people who have now departed.

The mature looking Lady Ma was no more. The wrinkles on her skin vanished as the bun of her hair unleashed wild flowing white silky strains. Her stained clothes similarly became untainted and glowed a soft moonlight sheen.

She was now Ma Kai Shi – the White Lady. Out of respect for the dead she decided not to retaliate against Lady Xia, at least that was what she told herself. She would not have been able to kill her anyway, so such an act would only have been to relieve some of her pent up emotions.

She also knew that Lord Li would begin looking for her anew after she turned down Lady Xia’s offer to return. Thus she could only leave immediately and decide her next move.

To fight from a position of weakness, one must first gain higher ground.

No matter what, she could not reasonably retaliate against Lord Li or her five sisters that surrounded him by herself - at least, not with her current strength. It was either she found allies or grew stronger – or both.

Thank you for loving me, she thought, thinking back of not only these folk whom she shared her life with the past year but also to the man who had been with her before that and who had drawn the ire of Lord Li.

She would no longer run away and she knew that at least for her, there was no contentment in blissful ignorance.