In the following year of 1350, Takauji and other launched a campaign to central Japan to hunt down his son-in-law Tadafuyu ASHIKAGA and, during his brother's absence, Tadayoshi fled Kyoto and travelled to the Southern Court with the intention of killing Moronao.
翌1350年（正平5年/観応元年）、尊氏らが養子足利直冬を討つために中国地方へ遠征すると、その留守に乗じて京都を脱出、師直討伐を掲げて南朝へ降る。