Since Masashige won the deep confidence of Emperor Godaigo in the Kenmu Restoration and the group of Chikamitsu YUKI, Nagatoshi NAWA and Tadaaki CHIGUSA were called 'Sanboku-Isso', it is said that they were 'proud of imperial blessing' (a description from The Record of the Great Peace "Taiheiki").
建武の新政においては正成は後醍醐天皇の絶大な信任を受け、結城親光、名和長年、千種忠顕をあわせて「三木一草」と併称され、「朝恩に誇った」とされる（太平記の記述）。