The Lord of Kii dies, his death hastened by the spells of Garyūdōshi who is working for the retainer Naitō Daigaku. Thwarting him is Oribe Hida, who tries to circumvent him by sending a letter to the shogun asking him to confirm Yorikata as heir while Naitō is at the funeral. Genyōsai, leader of the Kishū, is aware of Garyūdōshi's actions. Onkei Onime, Garyūdōshi 's second-in-command forces the maid O-Taka to put poison in Yorikata's tea but Genyōsai knocks it from his hand. Shintarō who has been sent secretly to Kii by Matsudaira Sadanobu rescues O-Taka and her mother from Onime's clutches.
