During this period, he had served Emperor Goshirakawa as a close adviser, and when the Cloistered Emperor was confined in Toba-dono Palace at the time of the Coup of the Third Year of Jisho, he was allowed to see the Cloistered Emperor with his bothers such as FUJIWARA no Naganori and Joken.
この間、後白河天皇の側近として仕え、治承三年の政変で法皇が鳥羽殿に幽閉された際にも、兄弟の藤原脩範・静賢らとともにその傍に出入りすることを許された。