Snow on The Blades (柘榴坂の仇討)

SNOW ON THE BLADES

APPEAL

Setsu.

AUTUMN, 5th YEAR OF MEIJI (1873)

13 YEARS AGO, SPRING THE 7th YEAR OF ANSEI (1850)

I am Nakamura Sotaro's daughter, Setsu.

- Thank you for travelling such along distance from Hikone.

Would you show me your face?

I look forward to our long life together.

It is nice to be with you.

Yes.

HlKONE CLAN'S OFFlClAL MANSlON lN EDO

Lord of Hikone Tate II NAOSUKE

This man here

is recommended for promotion to a palanquin attendant.

- I work at property management section at the storehouse in Edo,

and I am the oldest son of Shimura Tahei...

Shimura Kingo.

- This man is an excellent swordsman and he is certified at Shingyoto style's dojo.

In these troubled times,

I think it is important to reinforce your protection.

So I would like your approval.

And this man just got married to Nakamura Sotaro's daughter, Setsu.

So he also would like permission to succeed as the head of the family.

I am glad to hear a bush warbler singing

I and I forgot my frustration for the spring without it.

Your name was Shimura Kingo?

Yes, sir!

Come closer.

Yes, sir!

This is a wedding gift.

Huh?

Accept it.

Yes, sir!

- You came and a bush warbler sang for the first time.

So you will protect me?

- Yes, sir! I will with my life.

I approve.

- Yes. - Yes, sir

You not only married a good woman,

you were promoted to palanquin attendant for Tairo li Kamonnokami Naosuke-sama.

Besides, you were given such a wonderful gift like this.

How marvellous!

Indeed, this is wonderful.

- There is no better time to retire and let my son succeed as the family head.

We can go back to Hikone tomorrow without anxiety.

Kakuma! It is a long way to Hikone.

l will leave my father and mother in your care.

Yes. On the way I will pray at Mt. Fuji

for prosperity of the Shimura family and good luck for Kingo-sama's duty.

Good.

- Hokushin ltto style's Genbukan swordsmanship dojo is getting ferocious, I heard.

That place is a hideaway

for the Mito clan's vassals who actively lead the anti-foreign sentiment.

Tairo li Kamonnokami-sama

entered into a treaty of commerce

with America without the approval of the lmperial Court,

and arrested all those who are vocal about their anti-foreign sentiments.

He even decapitated Yoshida Shoin.

The shogunate now stands up against a storm of public criticism.

Thanks for waiting.

- Tokugawa's world is about to drastically change.

So we need to be more aware of the movements of the world.

I just attend on Kamon-sama.

That's all.

You are never interested in politics.

Shinnosuke,

I like Kamon-sama.

You like him?

The tairo (prime minister) is feared by the entire country as the red devil.

You must be the only one who can say that about him.

I don't know how he is in the castle.

But when he is at the official mansion,

he is a very warm, calm, and refined man.

Refined?

- He was nicknamed Chakapon when he was young.

Cha... Chakapon?

- He relished Cha (tea ceremony), read Waka (poems),

and amused himself ever day by playing the drum.

Ah! Cha-Ka,

and Pon!

Whatever the politics may be,

I like the lord the way he is.

I envy you.

But Kingo,

being an attendant is an important duty protecting the prime minister.

So always be careful.

Yes.

DAY 3 OF THE 37d LUNAR MONTH 7th YEAR OF ANSEl (1860)

SIR

"TODAY WE ARE PLANNING TO ATTACK THE TAIRO.

"TODAY WE ARE PLANNING TO ATTACK THE TAIRO." - I think it is just a prank,

but there are some ominous rumors.

I think we should cancel today's attendance at the castle.

The 3rd day of the 3rd lunar month

is the day of the peach festival. Everyone is required to attend at the castle.

How can the Tairo break the rule?

- Then we should increase the number of guards and...

- No, not necessarily It is fine as usual.

But...

Everything is Heaven's will.

If Heaven tells me to die, that's fine.

If it tells me to live, that is fine also.

Isn't that right, Shimura?

Yes, sir!

Heaven is in charge of human lives.

And I do not know when my time is.

Therefore one must live his best until that time comes.

Yes, sir!

- Everyone, wear raincoats and put covers on your swords.

= Yes!

But chief, in case of emergency...

Sakurada Gate is very close.

There will be no emergency.

But when you enter the castle, if the attendants are all wet

it would embarrass our lord.

Yes, sir.

Who is the spear carrier this time?

- Yes! I am the one.

- It is the precious spear given by Great Lord Ieyasu.

Make sure your hands don't get too slipper with this snow.

Don't forget!

Yes, sir!

Prepare carefully!

= Yes!

Lord is arriving!

Snow...

Thanks.

Depart!

Please wait.

Who are you?

Excuse me.

I have this direct appeal to the Tairo.

Please accept it.

What is it?

It is a direct appeal.

Don't be rough.

Bring the man to the guard's station and give me the document.

It is an appeal made by risking his own life.

Treat it with care!

Yes, sir!

Appeal document will be accepted. But you must behave without defiance.

- The spear! The spear is taken!

- It is a precious spear! Get it back!

Wait!

Ii Kamonnokami Naosuke has been killed!

Shimura!

It was your duty to protect Kamonnokami-sama with your life,

was it not?

You are not allowed to commit seppuku now.

Your father cut his belly and your mother stabbed her own throat for you.

Respecting your parents' ardor, we will just suspend your stipend.

If you want to remove the disgrace,

take the head of one of those Mito ronin, then offer it at the grave of the lord.

The central government investigated and found out the names of the five men who escaped.

With your skill, it should not be a difficult task.

That is all.

Listen, make sure to take a head and bring it back!

It has been a short period of time,

but thank you for everything.

You go back to your parental home in Hikone.

I was ordered to find the assassins and take their heads.

But I broke the promise of protecting my lord with my life.

At least I must go where he is to save face as a samurai.

I am not going home.

If it was an order from your superior, it is the same as the lord's order.

So it is the samurai's duty to carry it out?

I will be with you until you accomplish your mission.

Setsu...

Please let me go!

Indeed I ran away from the battlefield of Toba-Fushimi,

but my wife who had a baby got ill...

Have compassion for a fellow samurai! Please let me go!

Wrong person.

Excuse me.

MINISTRY OF JUSTICE

MINISTRY OF JUSTICE - I can't let someone who is dressed like you in.

Come back after you shave off your topknot.

- Was there any government order to shave off the topknot?

What?

What's going on?

Ah, well...

MINISTRY OF JUSTICE

- I'm seeking the former supreme court's records of the Sakurada incident of 1860.

I heard that they are kept here.

What happened?

- It is about the Sakurada incident in the 7th year of Ansei.

Sakurada incident?

- The man is looking for the former Mito clan vassals who assassinated Tairo Ii.

He went back after I told him that we don't keep the old government's records.

He was still wearing Hakama pants with his topknot and two swords.

So he was a former Ii clan vassal.

- There are no vassals now that samurai are gone out of this world.

Is something wrong?

No.

I envy those who wear Hakama pants.

These western clothes are not comfortable at all.

How about for you?

You don't look very good in them.

SUMMER, 13! YEAR OF MANNEN (1860)