Page 12 of Markets & Mooncakes

"They both make food, don't they?" Veronica responds.

"Yes, but they're different."

"How?"

I blink a couple of times, trying to come up with an answer that's actually going to satisfy my sister. Which is a mystery. Sometimes, Veronica is satisfied with honest answers. Sometimes, she expects me to say something that I'm supposed to, but don't understand. "They just are."

"Well, maybe you can find some common ground about something."

"Does she speak Falhavien?" I ask. "Because my Shengdanese is terrible."

"I assume so. It would be remiss of her father to take the ambassadorship and not have her taught our language," she says. "But I didn't think to ask that specific question."

"What other questions did you ask?"

"Whether she was beautiful." She grins in a way that I think means something, but I'm not sure what.

"Does that matter?"

"To my eyes, yes."

"Mama said you weren't to have a dalliance with her."

"And I won't. I can appreciate a beautiful woman without flirting," Veronica assures me, though from what she's said before, I don't know how true that is.

"You need to listen to Mama. If she's angry with you, she'll...do something you dislike."

Veronica laughs. "I'm sure I'll be fine. I know how not to flirt with someone," she promises. "And I don't intend on doing anything that will jeopardise our relationship with Shengda. It's too important to the kingdom."

"Everyone keeps saying that, but I don't really understand how."

"In a few ways." She pours herself a new cup of tea and drops in a sugar cube. "If we have a treaty with Shengda, then we're hardly likely to go to war with them."

"We're not at war with anyone," I point out.

"Precisely. And treaties are how that happens. We're also able to trade with them. And when we don't levy huge taxes on them, and they don't do the same on us, then it gives both of our kingdoms' economies a chance to grow."

I frown. "That doesn't make sense. If we don't tax the Shengdanese merchants, how does Falhaven get more money?"

"We do tax them," she responds. "But we tax them less. And it helps because then there are more opportunities for Falhavien merchants, which means that there's more money coming into the kingdom, and...I can tell from your face that I've lost you."

I grimace. "I'm trying to follow."

"It's just good for the kingdom," she assures me. "More wealth, more stability, and therefore more happiness. But you know about that one because you have the ingredients you like."

"Mmm. There are some good things from Shengda," I agree. "Including tea."

"I have noticed you're partial to it."

"It goes well with pastry," I respond. "But it isn't just the tea. There's a soy sauce that they use in the kitchens. I think it's made with fermented beans."

"You think, or you know?"

"I know."

She laughs. "Never change, Evie."

"I don't think I would know how," I murmur. But maybe changing a little bit isn't a bad thing. Just so that I can understand the world a little bit better. But then again, I feel like I might actually be getting there anyway. It's just taking some time.