Red Moscow

Sokov originally thought that after this meeting with Lunev, he would have to wait until the injury healed at the earliest before he would have the opportunity to see him again. Unexpectedly, at noon the next day, he appeared in his ward again. The person who appeared in the ward with him this time was a general with a big beard.

When he saw the general for the first time, Sokov immediately thought of the bearded squadron leader in "Escape from the Tiger's Mouth", and the beards of the two were exactly the same.

When Sokov was recalling the name of the British pilot, he heard Lunev say, "Comrade Commander, we are here to see you again."

"Comrade Military Commissar, I'm glad to see you again." Sokov smiled at Lunev, and then asked tentatively, "I wonder if the general next to you is...?"

But Lunev did not immediately introduce Sokov, but turned to the general and said, "Sergey, I don't need to introduce this one to you. You should be familiar with his resume."

"Yes, Lunev. Although I have never met General Sokov, I am very familiar with everything about him." The bearded general walked to the bed, first stretched out his hand to Sokov, and found that the other party When he couldn't shake hands with himself, he took his hand back and nodded to Sokov: "Let me introduce myself. I am Shtemenko, and now I am the Chief of Operations of the General Staff."

Hearing the identity of the other party, Sokov quickly remembered about this person's resume: After the outbreak of the Great Patriotic War, Stemenko served as the deputy director of the direction department of the General Staff Operations Department from August 1941, and was accepted by the deputy staff. Minister Vasilevsky appreciated him and praised him as a man of military education and ability to work, not only capable of working, but also talented, energetic and determined.

In June 1942, after the defeat of the Southern Front, Stalin sent Beria to the Caucasus to deal with the plight there. Beria wanted an officer from the General Staff to go with him. Vasilevsky recommended to him Stemenko, who had just become the director, saying that he was a young and promising staff member. Stemenko worked with Beria for several months, during which he became close comrades-in-arms with both Beria and Antonov.

In April 1943, he served as the first deputy director of the Operation Department of the General Staff, and was promoted to minister in May. The name of the Minister of War sounds bluffing, but in fact it is not easy to do. After several generals took up this position, they were dismissed after several reports to Stalin, which caused confusion in the War Department.

But after Shtemenko took over the position of Minister of Operations, he quickly won the trust of Stalin with his high theoretical level, excellent organization and coordination ability, clear mind, firm and stable character and outstanding military ability.

Sokov felt flattered that this celebrity in front of Stalin came here to visit him. He quickly apologized to the other party and said: "Comrade minister, please forgive me for being injured and unable to shake hands with you."

But Shtemenko didn't care about these details at all. He sat on the chair next to Sokov's bed and said with a smile: "I'm sorry, General Sokov, you have been in the hospital for so long before I came to visit you." You, I hope you don't blame me."

After a few polite words with the other party, Sokov murmured in his heart: I have never had any intersection with Shtemenko, how could he come here to visit him?

In order to find out what was going on, he tentatively asked: "Comrade minister, do you have anything to tell me when you come here today?"

Hearing what Sokov said, a smile appeared on Shtemenko's face, and he smiled at Lunev standing beside him and said: "Lunev, it seems that you are right, Sokov The general is indeed very smart, he guessed that I have something to come to see him."

After saying this, he turned to Sokov again and said, "Comrade Sokov, judging from your current situation, it will take at least half a year or even longer to recover. Even if you are discharged from the hospital, can you return to the front line?" It is also an unknown, so I am here today, hoping that you can go to the General Staff to help me."

Sokov's eyes widened in surprise: "Comrade Minister, what are you talking about, let me go to the General Staff to help you?"

"That's right." Shtemenko nodded and said, "I happen to be short of a capable deputy. If you agree, I can let you serve as the deputy director of the direction department of the war department. After you get familiar with your work , and then directly assume the post of director.”

I have to say that Stemenko's proposal is very attractive. Not only can he stay in the safe rear to work, but as long as he doesn't make any mistakes, he has many opportunities to get promoted.

But Sokov's excitement lasted less than a minute before he realized that going to the General Staff was not the best choice. The Soviet army has always had a tradition of underestimating staff officers. Everyone knows that the commander who defeated Napoleon was Kutuzov, but who knows who his chief of staff is? Unless he can become the chief of the general staff like Vasilevsky and Antonov, he can only be doomed to spend the rest of his life in obscurity.

After thinking about this point, he meanderingly rejected Shtemenko's proposal: "Thank you, Comrade Minister, thank you for your kindness. However, I think my character is still suitable for staying on the front line, so I can only respect You say sorry."

But Shtemenko seemed to have guessed that his proposal would be rejected by Sokov, and he was not angry at all. On the contrary, he said kindly: "General Sokov, don't reject me so quickly. You still have to be in the hospital anyway." Lying for a long time, you can slowly consider my proposal. It will not be too late to give me the final answer until the day you are discharged from the hospital."

After finishing these words, Shtemenko got up and said goodbye to Sokov: "Comrade Sokov, take care of your wounds, and I will come to see you again when I have time."

"Assia," Sokov saw that Shtemenko and Lunev were about to leave, and hurriedly called Assia, who was standing aside, "help me see Comrade Minister."

Shtemenko didn't object to Sokov's arrangement. He planned to talk to Asiya in private after leaving the ward later, and asked her to help him persuade Sokov to join the general staff The Ministry serves as his own deputy.

Asya sent the two to the stairs, and Stemenko gave Lunev a wink, beckoning him to talk to Asya. Lunev, who understood, nodded slightly, and then said to Assia: "Assia, I want to talk to you."

"General Lunev." For Lunev who had helped her many times, Assia showed enough politeness: "Everyone is so familiar with him. If you have anything to say, please speak up."

"It's like this, Assia." Lunev considered for a while, and decided to express his thoughts: "Do you think Comrade Commander will stay in the headquarters obediently after he recovers from his injuries and returns to the front line?" , or often go to the most dangerous combat areas?"

Assia said without thinking: "It's needless to say, with his personality, he will definitely not be able to sit still in the headquarters. Whenever he has the opportunity, he will go to the most dangerous areas to command operations."

"That's right, I think so too." Although standing at the foot of the stairs, he couldn't see Sokov's ward at all, but Lunev instinctively glanced sideways, and then continued: "This time It is a miracle that he survived. But no one can guarantee that similar miracles will happen when he runs to the forefront in the future..."

Hearing what Lunev said, Asiya understood what the other party meant, and she asked tentatively, "General Lunev, do you mean that you want me to find an opportunity to persuade Misha to work in the General Staff?"

Lunev and Stemenko looked at each other, and both saw smiles in each other's eyes. "That's right, Asia." Lunev nodded affirmatively, "That's what I mean. For the safety of Comrade Commander, it's best for him to stay in the General Staff to work after he recovers from his injuries. It's good for you and for him."

Lunev's words made Asiya's heart flutter. She knew very well that if Sokov returned to the front line after recovering from his injury, even if he would no longer be in danger easily, she, as a wife, would still worry about his safety. . She nodded vigorously, and assured Lunev: "General Lunev, don't worry, when I get back later, I will persuade him and try to make him change his mind."

"That's really great." Seeing that his goal had been achieved, Lunev showed a gratified smile on his face: "Assia, then I will wait for your good news."

When Asiya saw the two walking up the stairs, she turned around and was about to leave, but bumped into a female officer who was walking towards her. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Asiya quickly apologized to the other party and said, "I walked too hastily and didn't notice the person behind me. Please forgive my recklessness."

But the other party didn't speak, but looked at Asiya carefully.

Seeing that the other party didn't respond, Assia thought she was angry with herself, so she quickly repeated what she had just said.

This time the other party finally reacted, stretched out his hands to grab Assia's arms, shook them vigorously twice, and said excitedly: "Assia, you are Assia!"

Assia looked at the other party with puzzled eyes. After watching for a while, her frowning brows relaxed, and she cried out in the same excitement: "So it's you, Adelina!"

"Quiet, girls, please be quiet." A passing nurse frowned and stopped the screaming of the two: "This is the inpatient department of the hospital, please keep quiet."

Hearing the nurse's criticism, Asiya stuck out her tongue in embarrassment, and then asked Adelina in a low voice: "Adelina, why are you here? I thought you were still behind enemy lines?"

"On the eve of the liberation of Kharkov, I was transferred back to Moscow, and now I work in Lubyan Kali." Adelina explained to Asya: "A person in charge of a unit was hospitalized here, and I was ordered to Come and see him."

Assia saw that Agelina only mentioned in general that a person in charge was hospitalized, but she didn't say who it was. She guessed that the other party's identity might be sensitive and could not be revealed casually, so she didn't ask curiously.

Seeing that Assia was wearing a white coat, Adelina asked curiously, "Assia, do you work in a military hospital? When did you get transferred back from the front line?"

"After the Battle of Kursk, I was transferred back to Moscow from the front line, and I was arranged to be a military doctor in the Weapons and Equipment Department." These things do not involve confidentiality, so Assia told Adelina with confidence, she said with a wry smile : "As for why I'm here, it's because Misha was injured and was hospitalized here, and the superior arranged for me to come and take care of him."

"What, Misha is injured?" Agelina couldn't help being shocked when she heard the news, and then said anxiously to Asiya, "Take me to see him quickly."

When Asya took Adelina into the ward, she saw that Sokov had closed his eyes. According to Asiya's experience, he just closed his eyes and rested his mind, and didn't really fall asleep, so he walked quickly to the hospital bed, bent down and leaned into his ear and said, "Misha, I just met an old man outside. Do you want to meet her, friend?"

Sokov opened his eyes and asked curiously, "What old friend? I have been on the front line for the past two years. What old friend can I have in Moscow?"

"Misha." Before Asia could speak, Adelina appeared beside her, looked down at Sokov lying on the hospital bed, and asked with a clever smile: "Aren't I your old friend?" ?”

"Ah, it's Adelina." Seeing the girl he knew when he liberated the prisoner-of-war camp, Sokov showed a surprised expression on his face: "Why are you here? I thought you were here again In some kind of city, what kind of hidden mission is performed?"

"That's right, before the Battle of Kursk, I was indeed lurking in the German-occupied area to collect information beneficial to our army." Adelina replied: "After a companion who knew my identity was arrested, My identity was exposed, so I had no choice but to retreat to Moscow under the cover of other comrades."

"So that's the case." Sokov nodded, and continued to ask: "Then how did the superior arrange for you? Did you stay in Moscow to work, or wait for the right time to send you to hide behind the enemy's rear?"

"Given that my identity has been completely exposed, it is obviously impossible to go to the enemy's rear to perform latent missions. Therefore, my superiors arranged for me to work in Lubyanka." After Ajielina briefly talked about her situation, she curiously He asked back: "Misha, you, the commander of the group army, how could you be so seriously injured? Did you sneak to the front again?"

Sokov laughed dryly, and said with some embarrassment: "Adelina, it is indeed safe to stay in the headquarters, but if you want to know the battle at the front, you can only know the battle report from the subordinates, and you cannot know it in time. The battle situation at the front is changing. In order to prevent the situation from delaying the fighter plane, I have to run to the front frequently.”

"You, you!" Adelina pointed at Sokov with a look of hatred and said, "Did you never think about Assia? If you really have something on the battlefield What kind of long and short, how sad will she be?"

"That's right, that's right. Adelina, what you said is very correct." Seeing Adelina, an old friend, Sokov was very happy in his heart, and he didn't want to have any disputes with her over such trivial matters. , and said following her meaning: "I will pay attention to the lesson of this time in the future, and I will never run to the front easily. Even if I want to go, I must do the necessary security work."

After speaking in one breath, Sokov seemed a little out of breath. After taking two deep breaths, he looked at Adelina and asked curiously: "Adelina, how do you know I'm here? Hospitalized?"