The "Heiji monogatari" describes a scene in which Shigemori and Yoshihira fought in single combat at the Taikenmon gate, Yoshihira driving Shigemori back seven times in an area of the palace between the tachibana on the right and the cherry tree on the left, and meanwhile, Yorimori was staging a fighting withdrawal, but when he came under danger of being overrun by his foes he furiously struck all around him with 'Nukimaru,' his famous and ancient sword; needless to say, this episode is considered to be a literary embellishment to create a stirring climactic scene.
『平治物語』では重盛と義平が待賢門で一騎打ちを繰り広げ、御所の右近の橘・左近の桜の間を7度も義平が重盛を追い回した、頼盛が退却中に敵に追いつかれそうになり重代の名刀「抜丸」で辛くも撃退した、というエピソードが出てくるがこれらは話を盛り上げるための創作と思われる。