Shigemori, who has been suffering from anxiety of being caught between the cloistered Emperor Go-Shirakawa and Kiyomori, finally falls ill. After Kiyomori's daughter Moriko, who acted as the intermediary between the Fujiwara and Taira families, dies of illness, Go-Shirakawa plots to bring down the Taira family by joining hands with Motofusa. In the Taira family, Munemori (Shigemori's half brother) becomes the head of the family on behalf of Shigemori who has been sick. After the passing of Shigemori at the age of 42, Go-Shirakawa immediately confiscates Shigemori's territory, which provokes Kiyomori's anger.
平清盛（松山ケンイチ）の後白河法皇（松田翔太）幽閉計画を阻止した重盛（窪田正孝）は、心労がたたり病に伏す。反撃を試みる後白河法皇は基房（細川茂樹）と手を組み、清盛を嚴島詣でに行くようにしむけた。そして清盛の留守中に娘・盛子（八木のぞみ）の所領を強引に没収。さらに病床の重盛を訪ね厳しく問い詰め、重盛は清盛が帰京して間もなくこの世を去る。怒りで自制心を失った清盛は、反平家勢力を一掃せよと命を下す。
