Against that, Saigo concentrated on guarding the Imperial Palace as a neutral position, and declined the offer of a military post on July 8, from Yoshinobu TOKUGAWA by advice from Kiyokado KOMATSU.
これに対し、西郷は薩摩は中立して皇居守護に専念すべしとし、7月8日の徳川慶喜の出兵命令を小松清廉と相談のうえで断った。