When Yoritoo TOKI, a man who distinguished himself in numerous battles, was captured after treating Emperor Kogon violently, Tadayoshi, who respected the authority of the Imperial Court resolutely carried out his beheading even in the face of continued pleads for his life to be spared for his military genius and many meritous deeds.
数々の武功を立てた土岐頼遠が、光厳上皇に狼藉を働いて捕らえられた際、頼遠の軍才や数々の武功を惜しんで助命を嘆願する声が上がり続けても、朝廷の権威を重んじる直義は断固として耳を貸さず、頼遠を斬首した。