Toshimichi OKUBO and others, in cooperation with Tomomi IWAKURA, a court noble who was under house arrest, was beginning to work on the Imperial court to obtain secret Imperial command for overthrowing the Shogunate.
大久保利通らは謹慎中の公家岩倉具視と連携し、討幕の密勅を得るべく朝廷に工作を始めていた。