Masamichi who was old, had served the emperor for years, and had been exceptionally promoted from a rank of low-ranked scholar made the best effort to object to Otsugu considering the emperor's intention, however, the emperor finally accepted Otsugu's assertion, announced the discontinuation of the subjugation of Ezo and the construction of Heiankyo which should be the lifework of the emperor ('Tokusei Dispute') and died in the next year.
長年天皇に仕え、身分の低い学者から抜擢を受けた老齢の真道は天皇の意向を汲んで必死に反論をしたものの、ついに天皇は緒嗣の主張を受け入れてライフワークとも呼ぶべき事業である、蝦夷平定と平安京の建設の中止を宣言した。（「徳政論争」）、桓武天皇は翌年に崩御した。