Jouiuchi - Hairyou Tsuma Shimatsu (SP) (J-Drama) (2013)

Sasahara Isaburo (Tamura Masakazu) is the best swordsman of the Aizu Matsudaira domain, a skill that won the favour of the previous generation and marriage into the Sasahara family. But he has stoically endured life under the control of his bilious wife Suga (Kaji Meiko) for 20 years. One day, the domain’s steward (Kitamura Yukiya) suddenly visits Isaburo. He tells a bewildered Isaburo that Oichi no Kata (Nakama Yukie), the concubine of his lord Matsudaira Masakata (Osugi Ren), will be sent off as the wife of Isaburo’s eldest son Yogoro (Ogata Naoto). This is the lord’s intention. In other words, it is an order. Although this is the will of the lord, it is completely unacceptable to Isaburo who does not want his sons to follow in his footsteps and have an unhappy marriage like his. He heard that Oichi no Kata bore a son for Matsudaira but has been divorced because she flew into the rage at the appearance of a young concubine and caused a big commotion by grabbing the lord by his collar. It is impossible to welcome such a daughter-in-law. When the steward visits again to follow up, Isaburo bows low and turns him down. However, Yogoro suddenly announces that he accepts. He happened to catch sight of Oichi no Kata before she set foot inside the inner palace, and she had left a lasting impression. Since Yogoro himself has accepted, there is nothing Isaburo can do. So the Sasahara family receive the bestowed bride. The wedding ceremony between Oichi no Kata, who has been relegated to Ichi, and Yogoro is held. She is an unbelievably graceful beauty. From that point on, Ichi tolerates the bullying of her mother-in-law and is a modest daughter-in-law. Isaburo cannot reconcile this “model daughter-in-law” with the woman who had violently grabbed at his lord. When he hears the truth from Yogoro, he learns that Ichi had hidden thoughts that verged on despair. Since then, the relationship between Yogoro and Ichi has been extremely happy. Believing that their peaceful days will continue, Isaburo steps aside to let Yogoro be the head of the family. Ichi gives birth to a daughter Tomi. But one day, their blissful life changes abruptly. Matsudaira’s legitimate child died of illness and he decided to make the son Ichi had borne him while still a concubine, his successor. In other words, Ichi has become the mother of the heir and she cannot be abandoned as the wife of a vassal … … The chief vassals of the domain order Yogoro to return Ichi to the castle. That is also the intention of the lord. Incensed by the domain’s unreasonable, cold and heartless actions, Isaburo, who has been touched by the deep love between his son and daughter-in-law, resolves together with Yogoro to go against the will of the lord, but … …