Red Moscow

The next day, Zhukov flew back to Moscow from the front to report to Stalin on the situation on the front.

The whole reporting work went smoothly. In less than an hour, Zhukov came out of the office, greeted Poskrebyshev who was sitting outside, and was about to leave here to go to the General Staff to understand the overall situation of the war. Nothing has changed. Unexpectedly, as soon as he walked to the door, he met Beria head-on.

Zhukov didn't like Beria very much, he greeted him politely, and was about to pass him by. But Beria stopped him: "Marshal Zhukov, please stay!"

"Comrade Beria," Zhukov looked at Beria and asked coldly, "What's the matter?"

"Marshal Zhukov, do you have time?" Beria said pleasantly, "I would like to invite you to my office for coffee and chat casually."

Hearing what Beria said, Zhukov couldn't help but wonder why Beria suddenly invited him to his office. Could something have happened?

Seeing that Zhukov was silent, Beria glanced at Poskrebyshev who was sitting in the office, and said in a low voice, "It's about Comrade Sokov."

Knowing that Beria was going to talk to him about Sokov, Zhukov, who was eager to find out what was going on, nodded and agreed with Beria's proposal: "Okay, I just finished reporting on work and I'm thirsty. , go to your office now and taste how your treasured coffee tastes."

When he came to Beria's office, Zhukov sat down opposite Beria, and he asked straight to the point: "Comrade Beria, what are you looking for today?"

Beria said: "Comrade Marshal, do you know about Sokov's studies at the Frunze Military Academy?"

Zhukov nodded and said, "I know! He was able to enter the school without the test because of my recommendation."

"Do you know what he did in the academy?" Beria said.

"I don't know." Zhukov shook his head and said, "You know, I have been on the front line as a representative of the base camp during this time, so I really don't know much about his situation."

Beria's secretary came in with a tray, put the coffee in front of the two of them, and turned to leave.

"Comrade Marshal, as you know, General Sokov's injury has not healed, and he goes to class in a wheelchair every day." Beria said: "In order to ensure his safety, I am going to let Lunev send an adjutant to be in charge every day." Pick him up."

Zhukov picked up his cup, took a sip of coffee in a calm manner, and asked casually, "Comrade Beria, is there anything wrong with Misha?"

Beria picked up a folder and handed it to Zhukov: "Comrade Marshal, look at this."

Zhukov guessed that the folder must contain information about Sokov collected by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and he frowned slightly. He opened the folder and saw the top sheet of paper with the names of a dozen people, their military ranks, and which unit they were from.

"Comrade Beria," Zhukov saw that he didn't know any of the people on the list, so he looked up at Beria and asked, "What does this list mean?"

"These people are all students of the intermediate training class, and they are in the same class as General Sokov," Beria further explained: "Sokov tried to use his method to keep these students in after they finished their studies. In the academy."

Zhukov laughed: "I understand, Misha wants to form his team."

Beria nodded: "That's right, according to the information we have, he does have such a plan, and even plans to call these people to meet with Ponegerin."

"His idea is not too much. If you really want to form your own team and win on the battlefield, it is absolutely necessary to let the commanders you fancy get to know each other well in advance."

"I have no objection to him forming his own team." Beria said, "But it's a bit too dangerous to bring a problematic person like Ponegerin into his team?"

"Comrade Beria," Zhukov was keenly aware of what Beria wanted to say: "Isn't the review of Ponedelin, Muzichenko, and Kirillov over long ago?"

"Comrade Marshal, you don't know. The reason why the review of Ponegerin and others ended in just one or two months is because General Sokov guaranteed them." Beria sighed He said in a tone: "Although the nominal review has ended, the private investigation of the three of them has not stopped. Tell me, how can such a person be placed by General Sokov's side?"

Beria's words made Zhukov realize the seriousness of the problem, and he asked with a stern face, "Comrade Beria, what are you going to ask me to do?"

Beria smiled and said: "Comrade Marshal, I hope you can persuade General Sokov, tell him the stakes of this matter, and ask him not to put an unreliable guy like Ponegerin in the by my side."

Zhukov understood Beria's meaning and did not want Ponejielin to stay and work beside Sokov. However, since the other party did not make a move, but threw this hot potato to himself, it proved that he must have some scruples.

"Comrade Beria," Zhukov said, "I'll meet Misha at the Frunze Military Academy later, and I'll convey your thoughts to him."

"Thank you so much." Seeing that Zhukov was willing to help him persuade Sokov, Beria breathed a sigh of relief and said gratefully, "Comrade Marshal, you have really helped me a lot."

Zhukov waved his hand at Beria and said, "Comrade Beria, I can convey your opinion to Sokov, but I can't guarantee whether he agrees with your opinion."

Beria's smile froze on his face, and after a while, he forced a smile and said: "Comrade Marshal, as long as you convey my words to General Sokov, as for whether he is willing to accept my opinion, that is up to you." Let it be."

"Your coffee is good." Zhukov took another sip of coffee from his cup and asked, "Is it coffee from abroad?"

"That's right, this is coffee from Brazil. Someone gave me a kilogram." Beria asked with a smile, "Comrade Marshal, how about I ask the secretary to give you half of it."

"No need." Zhukov stood up and said, "I'm afraid I'm addicted to drinking, and I can't find it if I try to find it after drinking."

Zhukov got out of the building, got into his car, and told the driver: "Go to the Frunze Military Academy."

The driver was taken aback when he heard Zhukov's order, and then carefully reminded Zhukov: "Comrade Marshal, according to the plan, shouldn't you go to the General Staff Headquarters?"

"The situation has changed, let's go to the Frunze Military Academy first."

"Okay, Comrade Marshal." The driver confirmed that he heard Zhukov's words correctly, and started the car.

When the car arrived at the gate of Frunze Military Academy, the sentinel at the gate stopped the car with his hand, and went forward to ask the driver for his certificate. When the sentry bent down to look inside the car, Zhukov rolled down the window and said to the sentry, "I'm Zhukov, and I'm going to see Dean Velyovkin."

When the sentry saw that the person sitting in the car was Zhukov, he was startled. He quickly took a step back, stood at attention and saluted, and at the same time tilted his head and shouted to the duty room at the door: "Comrade Second Lieutenant!"

The second lieutenant sitting in the duty room heard the call from the sentry, pushed open the door and came out, asking unhappily, "What are you yelling about?"

The sentry stammered, "Yes, Comrade Marshal!"

The second lieutenant walked over casually, looked down into the car, and met Zhukov's eyes. The second lieutenant took a few steps back in fright, raised his hand to salute, and shouted at the sentinel standing at the door: "What are you still doing, why don't you quickly pull up the railing and let Comrade Marshal's car go in."

After waiting for Zhukov's car to drive into the school gate, the second lieutenant rushed into the duty room at a speed of 100 meters, grabbed the phone on the table, dialed a number, and said nervously: "I am the guard here. I transferred to the dean's office and said that Marshal Zhukov had already entered the academy."

The campus of the Frunze Military Academy is very large. When Zhukov's car drove to the office building, the dean of the academy, Velyovkin, was already waiting outside the door with several subordinates.

As soon as the car stopped, Velyovkin stepped forward and opened the door, and said to Zhukov respectfully: "Hello, Comrade Marshal, on behalf of all the teachers and students of the academy, I welcome you!"

Zhukov stepped forward and shook hands with Velyovkin, and said with a smile: "Comrade Dean, I came today uninvited, I hope I did not cause you any inconvenience?"

"Where is it?" Velyovkin quickly replied, "You are a distinguished guest who can't even be invited. It can be said that it is our honor to be here today."

"Comrade dean," Zhukov planned to rush to the general staff immediately after meeting Sokov, so he didn't have extra time to go around with the dean, so he asked bluntly, "Where is Misha?"

Knowing that Sokov's nickname was Misha, Velyovkin hastily replied, "The intermediate commander training class he is in should still be in class at the moment. Look, do you need me to send someone to call him immediately?"

"How long until get out of class is over?"

Velyovkin looked at his watch and replied: "Ten minutes."

"Since there are still ten minutes, I will wait for him for a while." Zhukov said to Velyovkin: "Comrade President, please take me to your office."

Velyovkin called a subordinate behind him and gave some instructions in a low voice. After the man left, he made a gesture of invitation to Zhukov: "Please, Comrade Marshal, I will take you to my office."

On the way, Velyovkin also specifically explained to Sokov: "Comrade Marshal, I have arranged for someone to board at the door of the training class for intermediate commanders. I will push General Sokov over just after the class."

After the two came to the dean's office, Zhukov asked impatiently as soon as he sat down, "Comrade dean, I wonder how Misha has been doing in school in the past two months?"

"Pretty good, Comrade Marshal." After briefly answering Zhukov's question, Velyovkin said a little coyly: "I think with General Sokov's ability, after finishing his studies, even if he stays in the academy as a teacher quite appropriate."

"Oh, he can be a teacher?"

"That's right, Comrade Marshal." Velyovkin nodded and said, "With his ability, he is more than enough to be a teacher." After speaking, he walked to his desk, rummaged for a while, and picked up a file It was clipped back to Zhukov.

Seeing the folder Velyovkin handed to him, Zhukov asked curiously, "What is this?"

"This is General Sokov's test scores during his studies, as well as some new military theories he described in class." Velyovkin replied respectfully, "I ordered someone to sort them out."

Zhukov opened the folder and looked at the thick stack of documents inside. He was still a little surprised. He really didn't expect that Sokov had so many military theories during his two months of studying in the academy, which were sorted out by the leaders of the academy. into a book.

Zhukov read these documents carefully. It is not so much a military theory as it is a summary of Sokov's previous command operations. Some battle situations are perfect in everyone's eyes, and Sokov can still point out the shortcomings and how to improve them.

Before Zhukov finished reading, there was a knock on the door outside.

After getting permission from Velyovkin, the door was opened from the outside, and Sokov, who was in a wheelchair, was pushed in. The teacher who came to see Sokov only said that the dean wanted to see him, but did not say that Zhukov was also in the dean's office.

Seeing Zhukov standing in the room with a smile on his face, Sokov was taken aback for a moment, then raised his hand to salute: "Hello, Comrade Marshal!"

Zhukov walked up to Sokov quickly, raised his hand and patted his shoulder, and said kindly, "Misha, I haven't seen you for a long time. How is your injury?"

"The plaster cast on my leg has been removed, and I will be able to walk on the ground in a short time." Sokov reported to Zhukov: "The injury on my body is almost healed. It is estimated that when the training course for intermediate commanders is over, I will be able to walk on the ground." I can go through the discharge procedures."

"Comrade Dean," Zhukov said to Velevkin after exchanging greetings with Sokov, "Can you and your subordinates avoid it for a while?"

"Okay, Comrade Marshal." Knowing that Zhukov must have something important to tell Sokov, Velyovkin hurriedly greeted the teacher who pushed the wheelchair to leave together, and closed the door behind him.

"Misha." When only he and Sokov were left in the room, the expression on Zhukov's face became serious: "I heard that you are in the intermediate commander training class to train your future team?"

Sokov knew that Zhukov would find out about his training team, and Zhukov would know about it sooner or later, but he didn't expect the other party to know about it so soon. Now that the matter has come to this point, Sokov no longer conceals it, but truthfully replied: "Yes, Comrade Marshal. I found that there are more than a dozen students in the class who are of good level, so I decided to invite Lunev Help, prepare to wait until the day of graduation, keep all these students, and take them with me when I return to the army."

Zhukov knew very well that after returning to the army after graduation from the training class for intermediate commanders, it would not be long before they would be promoted to regiment-level commanders. Sokov recruited more than a dozen future regiment-level commanders in one go. It means that when he resumes his position as the commander of the group army, he will be able to firmly control several or even a dozen regiments in his own hands.

"Misha, why are you recruiting only regiment-level commanders?" Zhukov asked, "You know, if you become the commander of the group army again, you can't leapfrog the command and go directly to command the regiment instead of the corps and divisions?"