Cersei looked at the poor people lying around in the open space with some disdain, emitting all kinds of stinking smells, and came to the cauldron and asked, "Are you what they call the High Sparrow?"
Seeing Cersei in luxurious clothes, the middle-aged man was visibly stunned. He put down the long spoon in his hand and replied: "I don't know what the High Sparrow is. I am just a servant of the Seven Gods."
Cersei didn't care about the middle-aged man's answer and continued to ask, "I heard that the High Septon was caught by the sparrows and paraded through the streets. Did you know about this?"
"He is extravagant and has long since violated the will of the Seven Gods. Parading him through the streets is the lightest punishment." Facing Cersei's questioning tone, the High Sparrow answered calmly.
"I have imprisoned him in the dungeon. Now the position of High Septon is vacant. I wonder if you are willing to take on greater responsibilities and spread the will of the Seven Gods?" Cersei suddenly changed the subject.
The High Sparrow, who was serving porridge to a skinny old woman, paused with his right hand, looked at Cersei who was looking at him with scrutinizing eyes, and frowned slightly. He didn't quite understand what Cersei meant by her words.
"This is not the place to discuss in detail. If you are interested in the position of Archbishop, you can come to the Red Castle to find me."
After saying this, Cersei looked at the poor people around her again, covered her mouth and nose, and left the alley under the protection of the gold cloaks.
Three days ago, Archbishop Orridge was captured by a group within the church called the Sparrows in a brothel that was once owned by Littlefinger, and was stripped naked and paraded through the streets.
After receiving the complaint from Orridge, Cersei sent people to investigate the matter, only to find out that the Sparrows were a small organization established by a group of poor people within the Church of the Seven, and were extremely popular among the poor.
The High Sparrow is the leader of this organization, and no one knows his real name.
According to those who have inquired, the High Sparrow's footprints are almost all over the Seven Kingdoms. He often goes to those remote villages barefoot, spreading the teachings of the Seven Gods, naming newborns, redeeming those who have made mistakes, and healing simple illnesses.
He advocated a frugal lifestyle and opposed extravagance and waste. He always wore a shabby woolen gown and was deeply loved by the poor.
Cersei didn't bother to care about the affairs of the Church of the Seven, but when she heard about what the High Sparrow did to Orridge, she suddenly thought of a way to deal with the little bitch Margaery who always wanted to ride on her neck.
Originally she was a little hesitant about this method, but after seeing that High Court repeatedly delayed her order to send troops to the Valley, she became more determined to use the church.
On the second day after Cersei arrived at the slums, she saw the High Sparrow in the Red Keep, still wearing his tattered woolen gown and barefoot. The difference was that the gown had obviously been washed, and his feet were not so dirty.
Cersei was quite satisfied with the changes in the High Sparrow. It seemed that he still cared very much about the meeting with her, the Queen Regent.
The High Sparrow was also a little surprised when Cersei found him. Although he did not covet the position of High Septon, if he sat there, he would be able to take care of more poor people, so he came to the Red Keep for this reason.
After discussion, the two decided that Cersei would support the High Sparrow to take the position of High Septon and allow him to rebuild the Warrior Sons, a church militia that was once banned by King Jaehaerys I.
For this purpose, Cersei also ordered a hundred knights to join the Warrior Sons and obey the High Sparrow completely.
In return, the High Sparrow canceled the royal family's foreign debt of more than one million gold royals, and also fully supported his son Tommen to maintain his rule.
Two days later, the High Sparrow was successfully elected as the High Septon with Cersei's support. He sold all the valuable property and gorgeous clothing of the church, even the High Septon's crystal crown.
All the proceeds were distributed to the poor in King's Landing, winning them unprecedented support.
In order to rectify the corrupt atmosphere in King's Landing, the High Sparrow ordered the Warrior Sons to clear out all the brothels in King's Landing, and captured Loras, the heir to Highgarden and brother of Margaery the Rose, who was committing indecent acts there.
In order to save her brother Loras, Little Rose whispered to the young King Tommen several times, asking him to give his brother Loras a chance to explain himself.
Unexpectedly, during the debate, Margaery was accused by a brothel manager under Littlefinger of having seen his brother with his homosexual in the brothel and not stopping them. Margaery was unable to defend herself and was also captured by the Warrior Son and thrown into the dungeon.
After hearing the news, Olenna, the Queen of Thorns, immediately rushed over from the Riverlands, found Cersei, and asked her to ask the church to release the people.
Seeing the Queen of Thorns, who had lost her usual composure and was extremely anxious in front of her, Cersei felt extremely satisfied. Even she had to admire herself for coming up with the idea of using the church.
After delaying Olenna for two days, Cersei demanded that Highgarden immediately send troops to the Vale, capture the Eyrie and capture Sansa and Arya.
After the Highgarden army arrives at the Bloody Gate of the Vale, she will have the High Sparrow release Margaery the Rose.
The grandson who inherited the family bloodline was captured, and the granddaughter who was placed with high hopes was suffering in the dungeon. Olenna had no choice but to agree to Cersei's request to send troops immediately.
She sent a message back to Highgarden, asking her cousin Loras, who was in charge of the troops, to march to the Vale immediately. She would still stay in King's Landing to deal with Cersei.
After sending the letter, Olenna sat alone under the grape arbor and began to reflect on her series of decisions after King Robert's death.
First, he married his beloved granddaughter, Rose of Highgarden, to King Robert's short-lived brother, Renly.
It was thought that as the Duke of Storm's End, with almost all the troops of House Baratheon, he would be able to fight in the War of Five Kings. However, he was inexplicably assassinated before the war even started.
Fortunately, Renly did not touch Margaery, so Margaery was able to marry the Lannisters as a virgin, and after marriage she could become the queen.
Unexpectedly, she learned from Sansa the monster name of the new king Joffrey, which forced her to conspire with Littlefinger to poison Joffrey, and was therefore threatened by Varys, the dead eunuch.
Before he got rid of the threat from Varys, he met the Mad Queen Mother Cersei. Seeing that she could not defeat him and her granddaughter, she actually re-employed the Warrior Sons who were banned by Jaehaerys I.
Doesn't she know how much damage the battle between divine power and royal power brought to the Targaryen royal family?
But what's the point of talking about this now? Cersei has gone crazy for her son and for power.
The grandson and granddaughter are imprisoned in the dungeon, and sending troops to the valley is the only way to rescue them.
But how could the valley be so easy to capture? It was already very difficult to break through the bloody gates one after another.
Not to mention that the Eyrie, which is known to be impregnable, is located there. Not to mention the more than 20,000 troops of Highgarden, even the tens of thousands of Lannister troops would find it difficult to break through.
By then, the Highgarden army will be exhausted. Without the army, Highgarden will be at the mercy of Cersei.
Olenna couldn't help but think of contacting Varys and asking him who he was loyal to.
She had privately speculated many times about who Varys worked for, and finally locked on Stannis and Queen Daenerys who was far away in the Slaver's Bay.
But one of them left Dragonstone and disappeared, and the other was far away in Slaver's Bay, and it was unknown when they would come to Westeros.
But she is always competing with Queen Mother Cersei in wits, and she can't rely on both of them at all.
She had originally planned to have her granddaughter establish a good relationship with the young King Tommen, and thereby gain greater benefits for Highgarden. However, just when things were getting better and better, Cersei actually played such a trick, catching her off guard and leaving her helpless.
Even placed hope on the people Varys served.
The only plan now is to send troops to the Bloody Gate quickly and rescue the granddaughter first. As for that disappointing grandson Loras, we can only think of a solution slowly.