In 1824, it was decided that Morihime, a daughter of shogunate Ienari TOKUGAWA, would be married to Naomasa NABESHIMA, the heir of Narinao NABESHIMA (the lord of the Saga Domain); but Shigeyoshi went to Edo to make a petition to postpone the marriage due to the severe financial circumstances of the Saga Domain.
文政7年（1824年）、将軍徳川家斉の娘盛姫が佐賀藩主鍋島斉直の嫡子鍋島直正に嫁ぐことが決まるが、佐賀藩の財政状況の厳しさから、茂義は江戸に上りその延期を請願した。