His vassals, who were no longer samurai, were ordered to take up farming again, but Kuninao, fearing that they would lose their means of livelihood, decided to volunteer for development of Hokkaido that the new government was promoting, using money made by selling his personal properties.
侍ではなくなった家臣達は帰農を命ぜられたが、邦直は彼等が路頭に迷う事を憂い、私財を処分し得た資金で新政府の推し進めていた北海道開拓を志願する。