Nebara Jozen, Ishido’s lieutenant, arrives in Anjiro with an escort and openly questions Yabu about mass gun training, Naga’s role, and Blackthorne’s influence. He presents a countersigned letter naming Ito Teruzumi as the new Regent and summons Yabu to Osaka in twenty days. Yabu is shaken but agrees to host Jozen and provide a written acceptance.

After Jozen retires, Yabu rages about leaks and fears Ishido has won. Omi urges immediate action: inform Toranaga, consider assassinating Ito or a Regent to break the Council’s legality, and stop all messages by killing messengers and intercepting carrier pigeons. Igurashi confirms Jozen’s pigeons; falcons are dispatched, and Yabu agrees to watch Jozen closely, send word to Yedo, and possibly bait a trap using Naga while staying uncommitted.

That evening, Blackthorne returns home with Mariko, bathes, and reflects on language, culture, and the war manual he is shaping with Yabu. Fujiko arranges a rare pheasant meal; the three share saké and talk. Their closeness grows amid Blackthorne’s exhaustion and satisfaction at progress.

Later, Yabu, Omi, Igurashi, Naga, and Jozen debate strategy. Naga condemns gun warfare as dishonorable, proposes harsh edicts to confine guns and barbarians, and even argues for killing Blackthorne; Omi counters that Japan must learn from the barbarian to gain supremacy, even against China. Yabu gives Jozen a detailed report; Jozen immediately dispatches his second, Masumoto, with it, shares news from Osaka, and plans to witness a demonstration before departing. Yabu has already intercepted one pigeon and decoded Jozen’s earlier message.

That night, Jozen secretly writes a new warning about the guns’ lethality and hides a pigeon to release at dawn. In parallel, after Blackthorne retires, Mariko slips into his room; they silently embrace, beginning a clandestine affair that, if discovered, could be ruinous.