However, due to the Empress Kokiden, who had been opposed to Hikaru Genji, he was set up as a rival to push out the Tenth Prince (later the Emperor Reizei), the Crown Prince in those days whose guardian was Genji.
しかし光源氏に反感を持つ弘徽殿女御によって、源氏が後見人となっていた当時の東宮、第十皇子（後の冷泉帝）追い落としの対抗馬として担ぎ上げられてしまう。