Con Artistry
The bidding was fast and furious among the Earth Kingdom nobles, for the Bei Fong auction of Fire Nation artworks—metal sculptures, glass figurines—that had been confiscated from Fire Nation generals' tents and governors' homes, when the troops had been so hastily withdrawn.
Afterwards, Zuko accepted the auction proceeds in disbelief. "They wouldn't buy our peacetime industries' artworks straight from us, at a third of the prices they paid for those 'confiscated' works!"
"Those nobles are buying revenge right now," Toph told him. "Give them another year or two before they start buying your stuff for its beauty instead."