“But why would they live like that if it’s so awful?”

Zuko put his head in his free hand. “They don’t have any money. It’s not like they have any choice.”

The Earth King looked at him with the same, blank, confused look he had been wearing all along. Looking back up, Zuko was terrified Kuei was about to ask him what money was. “And none of these people get to go to my parties?”

Zuko groaned. “No!”

“Then did Long Feng talk to all these people?” Kuei blinked and furrowed his brow.

“What are you talking about?” Zuko tugged half-heartedly against the stone cuff pinning his wrist to the Earth King’s.

Kuei sat down, dragging Zuko down with him. “Long Feng always told me I had to listen to all the important people in the Earth Kingdom when they told me how I should rule, which is why I was supposed to have the parties, but...”

“Long Feng probably didn’t see poor people as important.” Really, Zuko would give anything to get out of there. He glared down at Toph.

She laced her fingers behind her head and lay back against the ground, grinning. “Having fun?”

“Let me go!”

Kuei sank back. “I’m sorry about all the trouble.”

Zuko lay back against the ground. “It’s okay, just... It’s okay.”