In addition, the latter stated that Teishi's brother who saw that state of things, swore 'an old fox was following her,' but this anecdote revealed that the Imperial Princess had a tactful and clever personality, and how even the Great Saiin, could not ignore the bond with the regent because she did not have a dominant successor.
なお後者は、その様子を見た定子の弟藤原隆家が「追従深き老狐かな」と罵ったというが、この逸話は内親王の機転の利く聡明な人柄を伝えると同時に、いかに世に重きをなす大斎院といえども有力な後見のない内親王としては、時の摂関との結びつきを無視できなかったことが伺える。