Jiro Hoshi finds that ONO Masatsugu injures his left arm sinks down to the ground. She provides treatment for him and learns that OKUYAMA Tomotoshi took him by surprise but failed to strike him because of his injury. At last they struggled with each other and Tomotoshi was stabbed with his dagger by Masatsugu who tried to protect himself. Then Masatsugu starts his return to home but Jiro stops and says,
"I want to help you as Ryugu-kozo."
Naochika and Shino find a body of Tomotoshi in their residence. Shino begs her husband to avenge her father with tears in her eyes but Naochika tells her to forget it for a while not to trouble the baby in her womb. She reminds him of the death of his father Naomitsu in his childhood and minds some scratches on the floor and lower parts in the room. On the following day, it becomes clear that Masatsugu didn't return to home after the incident.
Jiro (Ko Shibasaki, right) treats the injury of Masatsugu (Issei Takahashi)
NAKANO Naoyoshi insists that Masatsugu should be punished severely but there comes Natsu, wife of Ono Genba and speaks for him. She also says that she was told to mediate between the Onos and the Okuyamas. And Naochika judges it's Masatsugu's self-defense for Tomotoshi was killed with his own dagger and the scratches in the room seem to be made by him.
Later Naochika meets Masatsugu near the well of Ryugu-kozo and says that this makes them even for he was helped by Masatsugu at the time of land survey of the Imagawas. He adds if he were in Masatsugu's place, he would do the same. At Ryotanji Temple, Jiro feels discouraged about the incident but Koten cheers herself up by telling her to enjoy everyday life. And Masatsugu is told by Jiro to transcribe a sutra (**) to appease the spirit of Tomotoshi and it makes him earn a reputation in the Ii clan. Jiro's performance as Ryugu-kozo for Masatsugu is a success.
Naochika (Haruma Miura, right) meets Masatsugu near the well of Ryugu-kozo
Shino is near her term. Naochika picks the string of his bow (***) and a boy was born immediately after this. He is called Toramatsu, later II Naomasa, one of
Tokugawa-shitennno. At the celebration party, Masatsugu returns the territory of II Naomitsu occupied by the Onos. It means Ii-no-ya returns to its former good state. Jiro visits the well and thanks to her ancestor Motoyasu and then hears something.
It is water comes out in the well. There comes Naochika and they are delighted that it may be a sign of good reatart due to Ryugu-kozo. Naochika kneels down on one knee to Jiro and asks what she hopes. She tells him that she hopes the population of Ii's fief be happy and he accepts it. However her friend Sena is captured by the Imagawas and Nankei worries about it. He discusses it with Naochika secretly and decides to visit Sana with Jiro. But when he returns to Ryotanji, she has already departed for Sunpu with Ketsuzan.
Jiro tries to save Sena (Nanao, right) who is captured by the Imagawas
Jiro meets Sana whose hair turned gray because of the strain of worry. She has an audience of Jyukeini, mother of Yoshimoto. Jiro insists that Sena is loyal to the Imagawas though her husband Motoyasu takes up arms against them. But at that time, they hear the news that UDONO Nagateru, grandson of Jyukeini was killed by Motoyasu's army. Jyukeini whistles a different tune and tells Jiro to say a requiem to Sena before her execution.
Jiro and Sena achieve a reunion but Sena is in low spirits. Jiro advises her to be optimistic and plans to spend time in saying a requiem to delay the depart of Sena. The vassals of the Imagawas become irritated and push Jiro away. At that time, a samurai in traveling outfit who speeds up his horse passes by her.
(*) This title may be based on "Hashire Melos" (Run, Melos!) written by Osamu Dazai.
(**) Transcribing a sutra is called "shakyo" in Japanese and still is popular among people.
(***) The performance is thought to be a way of drive away evil and still is performed at court and in shrines.
The images are form the website of "Onna Joshu Naotora".