It is said that he was cold towards his retainers on purpose so that they would not kill themselves on the death of Kanbei, or so that his retainers would devote their fidelity to Nagamasa who was the head of the Kuroda clan at that time.
これは殉死者を出さないためとも、当主の長政に家臣団の忠誠を向けさせるためとも言われている。