In the fall of 1579, Gou, who now regards Nobunaga with favor, is shocked at the fact that Nobunaga ordered Tokugawa Ieyasu to take the lives of his own wife and son("Lady Tsukiyama Incident"). To learn Nobunaga's real intention of the ruthless command, Gou leaves for Azuchi where she meets Sen no Soueki, a tea master, and One, the wife of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Nobunaga's aide. Nobunaga takes Gou to Chikubu Island, Nagamasa's favorite place, and tells her his secret.
天正７年、秋。江（ごう・上野樹里）は織田信長（豊川悦司）にほれ込むが、信長の命で家康（北大路欣也）が妻と嫡男を死なせたことに驚く。信じがたい非道な命を下した信長の真意を知るため、江は安土へと向かう。千宗易（石坂浩二）や、秀吉（岸谷五朗）の妻・おね（大竹しのぶ）と出会い、信長の本心を聞きだそうとするが、うまくいかない。やがて信長に連れられ、琵琶湖に浮かぶ、父（時任三郎）が愛した竹生島へと渡るが…。
