There is an anecdote that Ryoma assisted Toranoshin IKEDA, who was blamed for the incident and was forced commit seppuku (ritual hara-kiri suicide), in committing seppuku by beheading him and Ryoma pledged solidarity among the lower-rank samurai wetting his sword knot with Toranoshin's blood, but this anecdote is a fiction appearing in Shiran SAKAZAKI's novel "Kanketsu Senri no Koma."
なお、事件の当事者で切腹した池田虎之進の介錯を龍馬が行って、その血に刀の下緒を浸しながら下士の団結を誓ったという逸話が流布しているが、これは坂崎紫瀾の小説『汗血千里駒』のフィクションである。