When his older brother Suzakuin became a priest, he asked Genji, who was at the height of his glory, if he could be the guardian of Suzakuin's daughter and Genji's niece, Onna San no Miya, and take her as his legal wifebecause he did not have a noble wife with powerful guardians who was suitable as hihs legal wife.
栄華の絶頂に至った源氏だったが、兄朱雀院の出家に際し、源氏の正室にふさわしい高貴で有力な後見ある妻がいない事にかこつけて、内親王の庇護者にと姪・女三宮の降嫁を打診される。