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In 1118 in Kyoto amid the time of confusion, Taira no Tadamori, the heir of the Taira clan, spends days doing dirty works to capture robbers under orders of the Imperial Court. One day, he encounters a pregnant woman named Maiko, who is on the run to protect her unborn baby, a child of the cloistered Emperor Shirakawa (who although retired is still the most powerful,) from being murdered . Tadamori secretly provides shelter to Maiko, while shaking off the pursuit from Minamoto no Tameyoshi, the head of the Minamoto clan, who is searching for her under Emperor Shirakawa's order. Maiko eventually gives birth to a baby boy, Heita, who later becomes known as Taira no Kiyomori.