Red Moscow

Fortunately, the communication line of the headquarters has been perfected, and Konev can call the Supreme Command here.

However, considering that the other party's call involved confidentiality, except for a few on-duty personnel, Sokov asked everyone else to avoid it for the time being, and even went outside with Melekhov himself.

"Comrade General." Melekhov asked Sokov nervously after coming outside from the headquarters, "Did I cause you trouble?"

"Lieutenant Colonel Melekhov, don't worry, it's fine." Sokov comforted the other party and said, "I only hope that after Marshal Konev makes this call, he can save more commanders and fighters who were scattered at the beginning. Even if he can't , I can also keep your brother safe."

After hearing Sokov's statement, Melekhov's eye circles were slightly red, and he said gratefully: "Comrade General, on behalf of my brother, thank you!"

While talking, Smirnov suddenly said to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, it looks like Koshkin is back."

Sokov looked in the direction of the other party's finger, and sure enough, he saw a jeep approaching. Since there was no roof, he could clearly see that the person sitting in the co-pilot's seat was Lieutenant Koshkin. In the back row sat Warnia and a soldier in an old-fashioned military uniform.

"Lieutenant Colonel Melekhov," Sokov turned his head and asked Melekhov, "Look, is the person sitting next to Warnia your elder brother?"

Melekhov stared at the people around Warnia for a long time, finally nodded and said, "That's right, that's my brother Horus. I haven't seen him for two or three years, and he's even thinner than before." Said After finishing, he ran down the steps, ready to meet his long-lost brother.

After Melekhov left, Smirnov approached Sokov and whispered: "Comrade Commander, maybe you have caused yourself a big trouble."

Sokov understood that Smirnov was not alarmist. He rashly used those commanders and fighters who had been scattered and had not returned to the team for a long time. However, he always felt that even if these dispersed commanders and fighters did not find a way to return to the team in time, as long as they did not surrender to the enemy, they could be used with confidence and boldness.

"Comrade Chief of Staff, don't worry." In order to appease Smirnov, he pretended to be calm and said, "I think the Supreme Command will handle this matter as appropriate after learning about the situation."

The jeep stopped at the bottom of the steps, and the man in the old-fashioned military uniform got out of the car and gave Melekhov a warm hug with open arms. And Warnia, who got out of the car immediately, couldn't help wiping away tears when she saw this scene, but this time she wept with joy.

"Hey, how many families have been destroyed and wives separated in this damn war." Smirnov looked at the reunited family below and said with emotion: "Compared with those unfortunate people, they are still lucky. , at least the brothers can be reunited."

"Yes," Sokov replied casually, "Many of our relatives died in the war. What we can do is to defeat the German invaders and avenge them."

"Comrade Commander, when do you think we will be able to enter Berlin?" Smirnov gritted his teeth and said, "I can't wait for this day to come as soon as possible."

"Hurry up, Comrade Chief of Staff." Thinking that in a little more than a year, the Soviet army will be able to invade Berlin and let the culprit who started the war, Mustache commit suicide, Sokov felt a little inexplicable in his heart. excitement. However, he did not directly act as a prophet, but said thoughtfully: "I think that in two years at most, we can invade Berlin, completely defeat the Faxi Temple invaders, and end this damn war. "

The two were talking, and saw that Melekhov had led his brother up the stairs and came to Sokov. Melekhov introduced to his brother: "This is General Sokov, and the troops under his command have occupied the city. If you have any ideas, you can just tell him."

"Report to Comrade General!" Khorus stood at attention, raised his hand to his forehead, and reported to Sokov with a serious expression: "Second Lieutenant Khorus Melekhov is reporting to you, and I am willing to obey your orders ,Please advise!"

"Please take a break, Second Lieutenant Herus." Sokov said to Herus: "I think your wife Vonia should have told you the specific situation."

"Yes, Comrade General." Although Helus put his hand down, he still stood up straight: "Warnia and the lieutenant you sent have answered all the questions in my mind, so I can rest assured come here."

Sokov looked at his military uniform with some patches, but it was clean, nodded in satisfaction, and then asked with a smile: "It seems that you cherish your military uniform very much, how is it? Going back to the army?"

Hearing what Sokov said, Herus' eyes widened in surprise, and he asked tentatively, "Comrade General, can I really return to the army?"

"certainly!"

"You won't send me to some punishment camp, will you?"

"How could this be?" Sukov saw that the other party was somewhat wary, so he explained to him: "Your younger brother Melekhov is now a lieutenant colonel, and he can arrange a job for you. But he is in It is necessary to avoid suspicion in this matter, so I will replace him and arrange a position for you in the army."

"Koshkin," Sokov turned to Koshkin, and said, "Last time you said that the guard company lacked a platoon commander. What do you think of Second Lieutenant Khorus? Can he be qualified for this position?"

Since it was Sokov who spoke, no matter how inappropriate it was, Koshkin dared not say it was inappropriate: "It is appropriate, of course it is appropriate. Since Comrade Commander personally arranged it, it must be appropriate."

Kruss couldn't see that Sokov was helping him on purpose. He waited for the other party to finish speaking, and said gratefully: "Thank you, Comrade General, I really don't know how to thank you."

Sokov chuckled, "Second Lieutenant Horus, you don't have to thank me. If you want to thank you, you should thank your wife Vonia and your brother Melekhov. When your whereabouts were unknown, he even went out of his way to find I'm helping, and I hope I'll see if you're locked up by the Germans when I liberate the camp."

"Koshkin!" Sokov then said to Koshkin: "Immediately change Lieutenant Khorus into a new suit, so that the whole person can look more energetic."

As soon as Sokov's affairs were arranged, a staff officer who stayed in the headquarters ran out and reported to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, Marshal Konev invites you in, saying that there is something important to discuss. "

When Sokov walked into the headquarters, he saw Konev sitting at the table with a sullen look, and asked with concern: "Comrade Marshal, how is the situation, has the Supreme Command rejected your proposal? "

Konev tried to squeeze a smile on his face and said: "Don't worry, Comrade Sokov, since I am communicating with the Supreme Command in person, there is naturally no problem. The Supreme Commander himself has promised me that all Officers and soldiers who have been dispersed and have not returned to the team found in our front, as long as there is no problem after the review and screening, they can be directly incorporated into the army, and there is no need to worry about other things.”

Although Konev said it lightly, Sokov knew very well in his heart that the other party must have pleaded with Stalin for a long time before he obtained such a promise. Although there are many people I want to save, the current situation is already at the limit. If I am not greedy enough, it will only backfire.

"Comrade Marshal," Sokov took two steps back. After standing at attention, he said to Konev with a straight face: "On behalf of those commanders and fighters who were scattered and unable to return to the team, I would like to express my gratitude to you!" Said After finishing, he raised his hand and saluted the other party with a solemn military salute.

"Comrade Sokov," Konev did not return the salute, but nodded to Sokov and said, "I'm really sorry, my ability is limited, and I can only help those comrades on our front, and I can't help those on the other fronts." gone."

"This is enough, Comrade Marshal." Sokov said to Konev: "At the beginning of the war, our army lost millions of troops in Ukraine. I guess after being dispersed, we could neither return to the rear nor The commanders and fighters who can be joined by suitable guerrillas may have settled down in various cities. Most of them hope to become a member of the army again when our army returns."

In order to increase his persuasiveness, he added a sentence: "At least Lieutenant Colonel Melekhov's brother is such a person."

After Sokov reminded him, Konev immediately remembered what Sokov had reported to him not long ago, and asked tentatively, "Is his brother here?"

"coming!"

"How are you going to settle him?"

"In the company of Lieutenant Koshkin, my most capable guard company commander, there happened to be a vacancy for a platoon leader, so I asked Second Lieutenant Horus to take over this position."

"Well, that's fine." Konev agreed with Sokov's arrangement, "Anyway, he's been out of the army for too long. It's not suitable. If you stay by your side, if you have time, you can train him, and he may become your right-hand assistant in the future."

Seeing Sokov's puzzled look, Konev explained to him: "You must know that those who could become officers before the war all studied in military academies. So much experience."

Sokov felt that what Konev said was very reasonable. Those who could become officers before the war were more or less capable. Sokov believed that Horus could learn many tactical applications after only three months in his guard. The reason why he made the decision to keep Herus in the guard force was that he felt that the other party should be an excellent officer after training.

Konev looked at his watch and said, "I've done everything I need to do, and it's time for me to go back to the headquarters."

When Sokov sent Konev away, he asked cautiously: "Comrade Marshal, when will the 237th Division arrive?"

"Don't worry, Comrade Sokov." Konev said lightly: "This army is on the march, and there is no way to contact them. If you wait patiently, you may arrive at the designated location tomorrow."

Sokov originally sent this unit to the open-pit mine to assist Lieutenant Colonel Ponejielin in taking care of the rescued prisoners of war. As a result, they accepted other tasks and were sent to other areas as soon as they arrived. Now it is finally time to return to the construction, but unfortunately the teacher died again, and was replaced by Kurishenko who had just been dismissed.

The two came outside the headquarters. Melekhov, who was chatting with his elder brother, saw Konev appearing at the door of the headquarters. ?"

"Yes, Lieutenant Colonel Melekhov." Konev glanced at Herus and Warnia standing not far away, nodded at them, and then said to Melekhov: "Get ready lets go."

After sending Konev away, Sokov and Smirnov returned to the headquarters.

Taking advantage of the time when no one was around, Smirnov tentatively asked Sokov: "Comrade Commander, what did the Marshal say about that?"

"He said that as long as they are within our front line, all the commanders and fighters who were found to be scattered during the battle, did not return to the team in time for various reasons, and did not join the guerrilla team, after review and no problem, they can be directly incorporated into the combat unit. Note It is a regular combat unit, not a punishment battalion."

As an old soldier, Smirnov naturally knows how much effort is required to accomplish this. After hearing what Sokov said, he couldn't help saying with emotion: "I think Marshal Konev must have been reprimanded by the Supreme Commander himself after making this request. It's really not easy for him."

"Comrade Chief of Staff, you are right." Sukov recalled that when he came in, he saw Konev's dejected look. He must have suffered great grievances, but it was difficult to reveal it in front of his subordinates. Just come out: "I also feel that Marshal Konev was reprimanded by his superiors after he raised this matter. But in order to help thousands of commanders and fighters, he still silently endured all the grievances."

"Comrade Commander," Smirnov said to Sokov, "the commanders and fighters rescued from the mine, about 16,000 people, may cross the Nanbug River tomorrow. You think they should be settled Where is it?"

"When will the remaining troops in Haixin and Japlick be able to cross the river?"

"Tomorrow too."

"Now that the time has come together, let's give General Afunin a new order to ask his subordinates to assist the rescued commanders and fighters to cross the river." Sokov said: "After crossing the river, some of them will go to the map where we are." Litsin, part of it went to Chernivtsi..."

"What, go to Chernivtsi?" Smirnov couldn't help reminding Sokov when he heard this: "Now it is a place bordering the enemy, and fighting will break out at any time. The commanders and fighters who have just been rescued, Even if they are incorporated into the troops on the spot, it may be difficult to form combat effectiveness in a short period of time."

"It doesn't matter, Comrade Chief of Staff, just follow my orders." Sokov said to Smirnov: "The enemies near Chernivtsi are basically all Romanian troops. They dare not attack me casually." attack the army's position." He said in a disdainful tone, "Even if there are undead enemies who attack Chernivtsi rashly, the defenders in the city can easily defeat them."