Chapter 2133: Too Clever by Half

Chapter Fifty-Two: Calculating Everything, Too Clever

This young man's face was a bit familiar, and at first glance, he looked like he was around sixteen or seventeen years old. He was dressed in a brocade robe, with thick eyebrows and big eyes, and a dignified bearing. However, there was an unyielding air about him, and the corners of his mouth held a hint of ridicule.

"How do you do, Mr. Song," the young man cupped his hands and bowed respectfully. "I am Qin Yu, from Biejia County."

Song Yuzhi's heart skipped a beat. Biejia County? This wasn't the county where she was born and raised, so why was he here? Was he specifically looking for her?

Could it be related to the matter of Cui Jingshan?

"So it's Gongzi Qin. We don't seem to know each other. Is there something you need?" Song Yuzhi asked cautiously, maintaining a pleasant demeanor.

"Mr. Song, please don't misunderstand. We truly do not know each other," Qin Yu said with a smile. "But I have been searching for you for several days. I heard that you came to visit the Xiangguo Temple. So I came here specifically to wait for you."

Song Yuzhi's eyebrows furrowed slightly. "Gongzi Qin, what business do you have with me?"

"I am here for the matter concerning Cui Jingshan!" Qin Yu said, his voice lowering.

Song Yuzhi's pupils constricted. Indeed, it was related to him.

"I... I don't understand what Gongzi Qin is talking about," she said, trying to feign ignorance.

Qin Yu chuckled lightly, a hint of mockery in his eyes. "Mr. Song, why pretend? You were once a scholar who topped the lists. Did you also learn the ways of a woman who uses deception? That would be quite disappointing."

Song Yuzhi's face stiffened. This person was both disrespectful and rude.

"Gongzi Qin, if you have something to say, please say it directly," she said coldly. "If you are here to mock, then please leave immediately."

Qin Yu's expression remained unchanged, but his eyes gleamed with a sharp light. "Fine. Mr. Song, I won't beat around the bush. I am here to offer you a solution."

"A solution?" Song Yuzhi looked at him, her heart full of suspicion.

"Yes. I know that Mr. Song was unjustly treated in the matter of Cui Jingshan, and that you are extremely distressed. However, there is nothing you can do about it," Qin Yu said. "But I have a way to help Mr. Song resolve this difficulty and make Cui Jingshan receive the punishment he deserves!"

Song Yuzhi was stunned. "You... what can you do?"

"I have already gathered some information about Cui Jingshan's crimes and gathered a large amount of evidence," Qin Yu said. "If Mr. Song is willing to cooperate with me, we can work together to report him to the authorities. By then, with Mr. Song's reputation and my evidence, it will be enough to bring Cui Jingshan down!"

Song Yuzhi was silent. She looked at Qin Yu, trying to see through his motives.

Why would he help her? And how did he know about the matter of Cui Jingshan?

Could he be related to Cui Jingshan's enemies?

"Gongzi Qin, why are you helping me?" she asked cautiously.

"Mr. Song, I am doing this for justice," Qin Yu said solemnly. "Cui Jingshan is a scoundrel who has committed many wicked deeds. I cannot bear to see him get away with it, so I am willing to risk everything to expose his true colors!"

Song Yuzhi was not convinced. She had been a government official for several years and had seen countless people. Very few people would act solely for justice, especially when it came to risking their own safety.

There must be another reason.

"Gongzi Qin, please be honest with me. What do you want in return?" Song Yuzhi asked directly.

Qin Yu smiled, a hint of shrewdness in his eyes. "Mr. Song is indeed intelligent. I do have a small request."

"What is it?"

"I heard that Mr. Song is skilled in crafting mechanisms. I wish to ask Mr. Song to craft a special mechanism for me. If you agree, I will immediately hand over all the evidence I have regarding Cui Jingshan to Mr. Song, and do my best to assist you!"

Song Yuzhi's heart pounded. A mechanism?

"What kind of mechanism?" she asked, her voice a little strained.

Qin Yu looked around and lowered his voice. "This matter is of great importance, and it is not convenient to discuss it here. How about this, Mr. Song? Let's find a quiet place to talk in detail."

Song Yuzhi hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Alright. Let's go to the teahouse over there."

The two walked to a nearby teahouse, found a quiet corner, and sat down.

After the waiter served the tea and left, Song Yuzhi looked at Qin Yu and said, "Gongzi Qin, you can speak now."

Qin Yu nodded and took a sip of tea. He then placed the teacup down and said, "Mr. Song, I need you to craft a mechanism that can detect and analyze poisons."

Song Yuzhi was startled. "A mechanism that detects and analyzes poisons?"

"Yes," Qin Yu said. "This mechanism needs to be able to quickly and accurately detect the presence of various poisons, and ideally, it should also be able to determine the type of poison."

Song Yuzhi's eyebrows knitted together. This was a very difficult request. Although she was skilled in mechanisms, crafting a mechanism that could detect and analyze poisons was a complex project involving multiple fields such as medicine, chemistry, and engineering.

"Gongzi Qin, this is a very difficult task," Song Yuzhi said. "I cannot guarantee that I can complete it."

"Mr. Song, you are the only person I can think of who has this ability," Qin Yu said earnestly. "As long as Mr. Song is willing to try, I believe you can succeed."

Song Yuzhi was silent. She looked at the steaming tea in front of her, her mind racing.

To be honest, she was very tempted by Qin Yu's offer. The matter of Cui Jingshan was like a thorn in her side, making her restless. If she could bring him down, it would be a great relief.

However, crafting this mechanism was a huge challenge, and she wasn't sure if she could do it.

More importantly, what did Qin Yu need this mechanism for? Detecting and analyzing poisons... this seemed to be related to assassination or protection.

Could Qin Yu be involved in something dangerous?

"Gongzi Qin, why do you need this mechanism?" Song Yuzhi asked, looking at him directly.

Qin Yu's expression changed slightly, and he hesitated for a moment. Then he said, "Mr. Song, this is a matter of great importance, and I cannot reveal the details for now. Please understand."

Song Yuzhi's heart sank. As expected, it was a secret.

"Gongzi Qin, if this matter is related to anything illegal or harmful, I cannot help you," she said firmly.

Qin Yu immediately said, "Mr. Song, please don't worry. This matter is absolutely not illegal or harmful. On the contrary, it is something that is very beneficial to the people!"

Song Yuzhi was still skeptical.

"Mr. Song, I know it's hard for you to believe me," Qin Yu said. "But I can guarantee you that I will never use this mechanism for anything wicked. If Mr. Song is still worried, you can control the use of this mechanism yourself after you craft it."

Song Yuzhi thought for a moment and said, "Gongzi Qin, crafting this mechanism requires a lot of time, energy, and materials. And I cannot guarantee success."

"Mr. Song, please don't worry about these," Qin Yu said. "As long as Mr. Song is willing to help, I will provide all the necessary resources and support. Even if it fails in the end, I will not blame Mr. Song."

Song Yuzhi looked at Qin Yu. His eyes were sincere and determined.

After some thought, she finally nodded. "Alright, Gongzi Qin. I agree to help you. But I need to clarify that I cannot guarantee success. I will do my best."

Qin Yu was overjoyed. "Thank you, Mr. Song! With Mr. Song's help, I am sure we can succeed!"

He then took out a stack of documents from his sleeve and handed them to Song Yuzhi. "Mr. Song, this is all the evidence I have regarding Cui Jingshan. Please take a look."

Song Yuzhi took the documents and began to read them carefully. As she read, her expression became increasingly solemn. The evidence was clear and detailed, and it fully exposed Cui Jingshan's true face.

There were records of his corruption, his abuse of power, his extortion of the common people, and even his involvement in murder!

Song Yuzhi was furious. She had always known that Cui Jingshan was a bad person, but she didn't expect him to be so wicked!

After reading the documents, Song Yuzhi's eyes were red with anger.

"Gongzi Qin, is all this true?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"Every word is true," Qin Yu said. "I spent a lot of time and effort to collect this evidence."

Song Yuzhi clenched her fists. This evidence was enough to send Cui Jingshan to hell!

"Alright, Gongzi Qin," Song Yuzhi said, taking a deep breath. "I will accept this task. But I have one condition."

"Please tell me, Mr. Song," Qin Yu said.

"After I finish crafting this mechanism, I need to know the true purpose of it, and who will use it," Song Yuzhi said. "If it is used for anything that violates my principles, I will destroy it immediately."

Qin Yu hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Alright, Mr. Song, I agree. When the time comes, I will tell you everything."

"Good," Song Yuzhi said. "Then let's begin."

From that day on, Song Yuzhi began to immerse herself in the research and crafting of the mechanism that detected and analyzed poisons. It was a difficult and complex process, requiring her to constantly experiment and innovate.

During this time, Qin Yu also provided her with a lot of support, including materials, resources, and information. He also visited her regularly to inquire about the progress and offer help.

As they spent more time together, Song Yuzhi gradually began to understand Qin Yu better. She found that he was not just a rich young master, but a very intelligent and capable person with a deep sense of justice. Although he was sometimes a bit arrogant and impatient, he was fundamentally a good person.

She also learned more about the political struggles and power dynamics in the capital. It turned out that Qin Yu was involved in a secret organization that was working to expose the corruption and injustice in the government. The mechanism he needed was a crucial tool for their operation.

The crafting process was challenging, but Song Yuzhi persevered. She worked day and night, overcoming one technical difficulty after another.

Finally, after several months, she successfully crafted the mechanism. It was a small, intricate device, but it was incredibly powerful. It could detect and analyze even trace amounts of various poisons with high accuracy.

When Song Yuzhi presented the mechanism to Qin Yu, he was thrilled.

"Mr. Song, you have done it!" he exclaimed, his eyes shining with excitement. "This is truly a masterpiece!"

Song Yuzhi smiled, feeling a sense of accomplishment.

"Now, Gongzi Qin," she said. "It's time for you to tell me the truth."

Qin Yu nodded, his expression becoming serious. "Mr. Song, I will tell you everything. This mechanism is for our organization, the 'Qingming Society'."

"Qingming Society?" Song Yuzhi raised an eyebrow.

"Yes. We are an organization dedicated to fighting against corruption and injustice in the government," Qin Yu said. "The mechanism will be used to detect poisons in the food and drinks of corrupt officials, so that we can gather evidence of their crimes."

Song Yuzhi's heart sank. Detecting poisons in the food and drinks of officials... this was dangerous work, and it could easily lead to trouble.

"Gongzi Qin, this is very risky," she said.

"I know," Qin Yu said. "But we have to do it. If we don't fight against these corrupt officials, the entire country will be ruined."

Song Yuzhi was silent. She understood Qin Yu's determination, but she was still worried about his safety.

"Mr. Song, thank you for your help," Qin Yu said sincerely. "This mechanism will be of great help to us. With it, we can expose the true faces of those corrupt officials and bring justice to the people!"

Song Yuzhi looked at Qin Yu, and a sense of admiration rose in her heart. Despite his youth, he was willing to risk his life for the sake of justice.

"Gongzi Qin, please be careful," she said.

"I will, Mr. Song," Qin Yu said. "And now, it's time to deal with Cui Jingshan!"

With the evidence provided by Qin Yu, Song Yuzhi immediately reported Cui Jingshan to the authorities. The evidence was irrefutable, and Cui Jingshan was quickly arrested and brought to trial.

Due to the overwhelming evidence of his crimes, Cui Jingshan was sentenced to death and executed.

Song Yuzhi felt a sense of relief and vindication. The thorn in her side was finally removed.

After the matter of Cui Jingshan was resolved, Song Yuzhi continued to communicate with Qin Yu. She learned more about the Qingming Society and their struggle against corruption. Although she didn't join the organization, she supported them in her own way, sometimes providing them with technical assistance or information.

She also continued to research and improve the mechanism, making it more accurate and versatile.

One day, Qin Yu came to her with a request.

"Mr. Song, we need your help with a special mission," he said, his expression serious.

"What kind of mission?" Song Yuzhi asked.

"It's a mission to expose a major corruption case involving a high-ranking official," Qin Yu said. "This official is very powerful and cunning, and he is well protected. We need to use the mechanism to gather evidence of his crimes."

Song Yuzhi knew that this mission was very dangerous, but she also knew that it was important.

"Alright, Gongzi Qin," she said. "I will help you."

Together, Song Yuzhi and Qin Yu planned the mission carefully. They used the mechanism to detect poisons in the official's food and drinks, and they also used other methods to gather evidence of his corruption.

The mission was difficult and dangerous, but they persevered. Finally, after several tense days, they successfully gathered enough evidence to expose the official's crimes.

With the help of the Qingming Society, the official was brought to justice, and a major corruption ring was dismantled.

The success of the mission brought a sense of hope to the people, and it also strengthened the reputation of the Qingming Society.

Song Yuzhi continued to support the Qingming Society in their fight against corruption. She also continued to pursue her own interests, particularly in the field of mechanisms.

She became a renowned expert in mechanisms, and her skills were sought after by many.

One day, she received an invitation from the imperial court. The emperor had heard about her abilities and wanted her to serve as an official in the Ministry of Works.

Song Yuzhi was surprised by the invitation. She had left the government after the incident with Cui Jingshan, and she had no intention of returning.

However, after much consideration, she decided to accept the invitation. She realized that by serving in the government, she could use her skills to benefit the people on a larger scale.

She also knew that by being in the imperial court, she could gather more information about the corrupt officials and provide it to the Qingming Society.

And so, Song Yuzhi returned to the government. She served diligently in the Ministry of Works, and she used her skills to improve the infrastructure and living conditions of the people.

At the same time, she continued to secretly support the Qingming Society, providing them with information and technical assistance.

With the combined efforts of Song Yuzhi and the Qingming Society, more and more corrupt officials were exposed and brought to justice. The government gradually became more transparent and just, and the lives of the people improved.

Song Yuzhi's story became a legend. She was not only a brilliant scholar and official, but also a brave and righteous person who fought for justice and the well-being of the people.

Her legacy lived on, inspiring future generations to pursue knowledge, fight for justice, and contribute to the betterment of society.