At the end of that same year (1397) Yoshihiro was ordered to strike down the Shoni clan, and began fighting with them in Chikuzen Province only to lose his younger brother Mitsuhiro OUCHI in battle, and worse still, no order was given to reward the fallen Mitsuhiro's son for his father's sacrifice, only increasing Yoshihiro's discontent; but what provoked his indignation still more was the rumor that Yoshimitsu had secretly commanded the Shoni and Kikuchi clans to strike down Yoshihiro.
同年末、義弘は少弐氏討伐を命じられ、筑前国で戦い弟の大内満弘が討死するがその子への恩賞の沙汰が無く不満を募らせ、更に義満が裏で少弐氏と菊地氏に義弘を討つように命じていたとの噂があり憤慨していた。