 As "shoshidai," he was actively and personally engaged as the head of a network of spies tasked to discover and report any covert sources of sedition, insurrection or other kinds of unrest.In the subtle currents of shogunate politics, he is said to have gone to great lengths to develop a sense of impartiality in judgement.When approached with a case to judge, he would place a lantern between himself and the speaker, and busy himself with making tea, so that he would not let external appearances interfere with his sense of justice.