Becoming a ronin (a masterless samurai), Sadanosuke headed for Kumamoto, relying on Yoshiaki's younger brother Mitsunao TATEOKA who had also been taken under custody of Kumamoto Domain, and served the Hosokawa clan.
浪人となった貞之助は、同じく熊本藩預かりとなった義光の弟・楯岡光直を頼って熊本に向かい、細川氏に仕官した。