Episode Title:
Caged Heart.
Episode Description:
lone Nobuyuki is ordered to act as Ieyasu's envoy for the vengeful Uesugi. The air is tense when he arrives in Aizu to deliver the decree: slash the Uesugi's wealth to a quarter and relocate to Yonezawa. Kanetsugu acts as the Uesugi correspondent and declares a staunch defiance. Before the Uesugi lunge for his throat, Nobuyuki reasons for him to consider the Uesugi's survival. The Sanada lord shares the severity of leadership and what he has done to protect his clan. The chief advisor feels he is being honest by remembering Yukimura's past impressions of Nobuyuki. Although Kanetsugu briefly hesitates to answer and has lingering regrets for his departed friend, the Uesugi consent without bloodshed. Inahime is relieved when her husband returns to her in one piece. Yukimura is surrounded by Tokugawa guards and listless in his exile, contemplating his next goal in life. Kunoichi is permitted to be by his side. The village residents are unnerved by his arrival, only aware that he is being punished for an untold crime. A peasant girl named Suzu overcomes her fright and lightens his monotony by sharing a rice ball with him. She tells him to forgive and forget before she is chased away by the lax patrol. Nene visits Yukimura at nightfall to deliver Mitsunari's broken headpiece to him...
