Meanwhile, Shigemori was promoted rapidly, and was assigned to the Shoshiinoge (Senior Fourth Rank, Lower Grade) rank in 1161, to be Uhyoe no kami (Captain of the Right Division of Middle Palace Guards) in October, and to the Jusanmi (Junior Third Rank) rank to become a kugyo in January of the next year when he was only 26 years old.
重盛の昇進も目覚ましく、応保2年（1161年）正月に正四位下、10月に右兵衛督、翌年正月には26歳の若さで、従三位に叙せられ公卿となった。