While the war was in a stalemate, Yoshinaka received the information that Yoritomo's younger brother who had become Taishogun (commander in chief) was on the way to the capital with tens of thousands of soldiers ("Gyokuyo," entry of December 10).
戦線が膠着状態となる中で義仲の耳に飛び込んできたのは、頼朝の弟が大将軍となり数万の兵を率いて上洛するという情報だった（『玉葉』閏10月17日条）。