A Magic Steeped in poison opens with a strong note of despair. I will admit that I am not someone who can brew a good cup of tea, but I'm following the descriptions anyway with an open heart. The prose is beautiful and the story is intriguing. I already love the plot of winning a competition so you may ask the Emperor for a boon. I'm interested to follow Ning as she runs away from home and to the capitol city to compete to ask the royal physician to heal her sister, poisoned by a cup of tea that also killed their mother.