Iemori falls into Yorinaga's trap and dies from falling off his horse, which strongly shakes the Taira family. Tadamori, however, shows no sign of perturbation, and asks the retired Emperor Toba, who had ordered Tadamori to reconstruct the main hall of Mt. Koya, to let Kiyomori lead the reconstruction instead. A year later, Nariko, who has become Empress Dowager Bifuku, hints to Tadamori that he might be granted the title equal to the aristocrats after the completion of the reconstruction. Meanwhile, Yorinaga appears and makes an insulting remark on Iemori to Tadamori.
家盛（大東駿介）は、頼長（山本耕史）の謀略にはまり失意のうちに落馬死する。家盛の死に絆強き平氏一門は初めて大きく揺れる。だが家盛の死は清盛（松山ケンイチ）のせいだとする忠正（豊原功補）らの反発をよそに、忠盛（中井貴一）は清盛に鳥羽院（三上博史）のための高野山再建の名代という大役を任せる。清盛は家盛の供養のためと再建にまい進。そんな時、頼長は忠盛に家盛の死の真実を告げ、忠盛は初めて我を失ってしまう。
