Blackthorne and Mariko see the Erasmus at Yedo. The ship has been cleaned, but none of his men are there.

Mariko and Blackthorne have spent the last few nights together, and she loves him more than ever. To calm him, she teaches him a meditation technique: listening to a rock grow to focus and gain patience. When Mariko has her period, Blackthorne takes another maid into his bed to prevent other people from suspecting them of sleeping together.

Gyoko visits Mariko and asks her to speak to Toranaga in exchange for a few secrets: that Omi’s cook and his mother were overheard plotting against Yabu, and that Zataki, Toranaga’s half-brother, desires power and lusts for the Lady Ochiba. For this information, Gyoko wants Toranaga to give her son two swords and make him samurai. When Mariko demurs, Gyoko threatens to reveal damaging information that could affect Mariko.

After listening to the secrets, Toranaga denies Gyoko’s request for her son’s promotion. Still, Toranaga is excited about Gyoko’s secrets, even though he doesn’t reveal this to Mariko. If his brother wants Ochiba, Toranaga can use the information against him. He writes a message to his mother, in which he petitions Zataki to marry Ochiba.