Stories of the Japanese 00420 [Late Heian Period] The Heiji Rebellion: Confinement of the Retired Emperor and the Emperor

December 9, 1159 (the first year of the Heiji era). Nobuyori approached the Retired Emperor Go-Shirakawa, who was at the Sanjo-Higashidono, and pleaded,
There are those who seek to kill me, so I intend to flee to the eastern provinces. If you have any pity for me, I beg you to accompany me.
Go-Shirakawa, though suspicious, agreed and, as Nobuyori instructed, was placed into a palanquin. Similarly, Nobuyori took Emperor Nijo away as well.
The place where Nobuyori took Go-Shirakawa and Nijo was the Ippon no Goshodokoro, a facility used for storing books. Nobuyori kept the two confined there and began issuing orders as he pleased, claiming,
It is the will of the Retired Emperor and the Emperor.

First, Nobuyori ordered Minamoto no Yoshitomo and Yorimasa to attack Shinzei's mansion and the Sanjo-Higashidono. Since the Sanjo-Higashidono was Go-Shirakawa's palace, there were many court nobles and soldiers of the Shinzei faction present. The attack on the Sanjo-Higashidono was carried out only after Go-Shirakawa had been evacuated to a safe location.
Shinzei managed to escape his mansion just in the nick of time and fled to Tahara in Yamashiro Province (present-day Ujitawara Town, Kyoto Prefecture). Yoshitomo dispatched pursuers to hunt Shinzei down.
December 10. Kiyomori, who had been in Kumano, learned of Nobuyori's uprising through a messenger on horseback. He had to return in a hurry, but Kiyomori suddenly muttered,
We have no military gear.
There was a possibility of being attacked on the way back to the capital, and if they tried to return on horseback in civilian clothes, they would be easily cut down.
At this moment, Taira no Iesada (1082–1167), a retainer who had served the Taira clan since the time of his grandfather, said,
I took the liberty of bringing our military gear.
and brought out the gear for everyone. As expected of the head retainer, Iesada was well-prepared.
Thus, the Taira clan in Kumano cut their stay short and hurried back to the capital.
On the way, they received information that Yoshitomo's eldest son, Yoshihira (1140–1160), was lying in wait at Abeno (Abeno Ward, Osaka City). Yoshihira was a key figure who had supported Yoshitomo while he was active in the eastern provinces, and he was feared for his bravery and audacity under the name "Akugenta." Perhaps "Akugenta" meant "the eldest son of the powerful Minamoto clan."
Although the Taira forces were equipped with their military gear, they were not fully prepared for battle. It was unclear if they could survive an attack by that Akugenta.
Shigemori insisted, "We should fight even if it means death," but Kiyomori stopped him, and they decided to bypass Abeno. Even in such times, Kiyomori remained calm.