Okay, I will solve the system of equations without simplifying too much.

To solve the system of equations:
2x - y = 1
x + 2y = 8

We can use the method of substitution or elimination. Let's use the substitution method.

From the first equation, we can express y in terms of x:
y = 2x - 1

Now, substitute this expression for y into the second equation:
x + 2(2x - 1) = 8
x + 4x - 2 = 8
5x - 2 = 8
5x = 10
x = 2

Now, substitute the value of x back into the expression for y:
y = 2(2) - 1
y = 4 - 1
y = 3

Therefore, the solution to the system of equations is x = 2 and y = 3.