With his intelligence recognized while he was still young, he was smoothly promoted to Chunagon (vice-councilor of state) in 975 at the age of 25 and Sakone no daisho in 977 at the age of 27.
若くしてその才覚を認められ、天延3年（975年）に25歳で中納言、貞元_(日本)2年（977年）には27歳で左近衛大将と順調に昇進する。