Nobume's and Sasaki's relationship continues to be the highlight of this arc for me. It's so heartwarming and beautiful how those two care for each other. I wonder if Nobume knows why Sasaki gave her that name. The moment when Nobume fell really scared me, I hope they will survive this.
As for the mess about Utsuro, at least it's confirmed that Shouyou is dead, although it's still uncertain who was beheaded by Gintoki in chapter 519.