Can a System Have Bad Intentions? - Chapter 82

As midnight approached, Gu Yunhe stood like a statue by the window of his study, his bloodshot eyes staring out.

The night wind had picked up, making the branches in the courtyard sway and cast eerie, shifting shadows on the ground like a thousand restless spirits.

A servant reported, “Master Huang still hasn’t returned.”

Just as he spoke, a sharp scream pierced the silence of the night.

Gu Yunhe shuddered, his eyes widening in fear as he looked in the direction of the sound.

The scream faded, replaced by the clamor of voices.

One of Gu Yunhe’s loyal servants stumbled in, almost tripping several times in his haste to reach the study.

“Master, it’s bad! The yamen officers are here to arrest you!”

Before the servant even reached the study, he was shouting from the courtyard.

Gu Yunhe felt as if a bucket of ice water had been dumped over his head.

As he stood there in shock, a dozen yamen officers in uniform burst into the courtyard, their torches lighting up the dark night. Magistrate Zhao followed, his face stern.

“Arrest Gu Yunhe!”

Everything happened so fast, like a bolt of lightning, that Gu Yunhe didn’t have time to react before the officers seized him.

It wasn’t until he felt the pain of being roughly handled that he truly woke up to what was happening.

Suppressing his fear, Gu Yunhe maintained his composure. He didn’t resist, his face calm but with a hint of displeasure and confusion as he was brought before Magistrate Zhao.

“Magistrate Zhao, what is the meaning of this? Are you accusing me of being a bandit?”

The word “bandit” was like a trigger for Magistrate Zhao, who ground his teeth in anger.

“Whether you’re a bandit or not, I don’t know. But you’re definitely a robber. Take him away!”

In the dimly lit prison of Qingshui County.

Yu Shunhai and Feng Chunshan sat facing each other.

“Gu Yunhe wants to destroy the Qiao Family Inn. I didn’t want to harm anyone, but I couldn’t openly warn Young Master Lu. I was afraid he might act recklessly and alert Gu Yunhe. My son is still in Gu Yunhe’s hands.”

Considering Lu Tang was a spoiled young master before managing the Qiao Family Inn in Sihe Town, Yu Shunhai’s distrust was understandable.

Feng Chunshan had seen the young master’s silly side himself.

Silent, Feng Chunshan waited for Yu Shunhai to continue.

“Gu Yunhe wanted me to sell wine to the Qiao Family Inn, even though the inn didn’t deal in wine. I thought I could use this to delay him, but then Lu Tang unexpectedly offered to collaborate on the wine. I was shocked and didn’t know how to respond until he and Liang Cheng brought wine to my house.”

Thinking of that moment, Yu Shunhai’s face softened with a hint of fondness.

“They said Liang Cheng was addicted to Yunyang Restaurant’s wine. I was truly scared. Liang Cheng wasn’t Gu Yunhe’s target. If he was addicted to the wine, it would harm another person. But I soon realized they were testing me.”

Like a grandfather amused by his grandchildren’s antics, Yu Shunhai’s eyes sparkled with affection as he recalled it.

Feng Chunshan asked, “How did you figure it out?”

“The wine they brought wasn’t from Yunyang Restaurant but from a batch I had given Lu Tang. I make wine myself, and though the jar wasn’t opened, I recognized the faint smell. I wasn’t sure it was a test, but I gave Lu Tang a hint. I told him Gu Yunhe takes good care of everyone from Qingshui County who goes to the capital.”

Feng Chunshan frowned, “That’s a clue?”

Yu Shunhai smiled bitterly, “I didn’t dare say more. I was afraid Gu Yunhe would notice. After I said that, Lu Tang didn’t come to see me for a few days. I was worried he hadn’t understood. But on the day we signed the contract, he made a big show of signing for only five jars and taking them away in a certain manner. I realized then that he had understood my hint. The powder was given to me by Gu Yunhe. He wanted me to hand it directly to that father and son, but I found an excuse, saying I couldn’t do it alone and needed help. I recommended Zhao Dahu.”

“Why?” Feng Chunshan asked.

“Because Zhao Dahu’s son is in the capital. Gu Yunhe trusted him and wouldn’t suspect anything. Most importantly, Zhao Dahu couldn’t endure torture. I knew this, but Gu Yunhe didn’t.”

Feng Chunshan recalled the scene in the county hall and couldn’t help but smile.

“So, you planned for Zhao Dahu to be caught? Were you sure Gu Yunhe’s plan would fail?”

Yu Shunhai said, “I wasn’t sure, but I wanted to seize any chance to break free from Gu Yunhe’s control. I don’t want to harm people anymore.”

Yu Shunhai’s face was extremely calm. Sitting on the bench in the cell, his expression was almost serene.

He had lived in fear for so many years, waking up in terror from nightmares. But at this moment, in the prison, he finally felt at peace.

“What is the relationship between that father and son and Gu Yunhe?” Feng Chunshan continued to ask.

Yu Shunhai shook his head, “I don’t know. I’ve never seen them before, but Zhao Dahu handed the powder to them very smoothly. They accepted the two hundred taels of silver and the fake death plan without hesitation.”

They harmed people without any guilt.

Feng Chunshan, seeing that Yu Shunhai wasn’t lying, asked, “Why did Gu Yunhe put opium in the wine?”

“To control people. I don’t know much, but I know that most of the children he sent to the capital…”

Yu Shunhai’s previously calm expression trembled, his voice shaking. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then continued.

“Most of them are dead. He used the opium wine to control their families, so if they caused trouble, he could handle them.”

Those sent by Gu Yunhe, most of them had died. Feng Chunshan had received the same news before interrogating Yu Shunhai.

“How did they die? What did they do in the capital?”

Yu Shunhai shook his head, “I don’t know. I only managed the restaurant. Gu Yunhe wouldn’t tell me these things.”

“Then how do you know they died?”

“Once, I overheard Gu Yunhe arguing with someone. He said, ‘If they’re dead, they’re dead. Just send new ones. What’s there to fear?'”

“Who was he arguing with?” Feng Chunshan asked.