Red Moscow

Before Rublev could respond, Ustinov swaggered into the room with several officers.

"Hello, Comrade People's Commissar!" Rublev saw Ustinov entering the room and quickly stood up to say hello to him.

"Comrade Rublev, General Sokov still has important design work to complete." Ustinov looked at Rublev and asked coldly: "Can you let him return to his job now? "

"Of course, Comrade People's Commissar." Rublev replied in a panic: "I invited him here just for a routine review. Now that the review work is over, of course he can return to his job."

"Very good, very good." Ustinov said "very good" twice in a row, then turned to Sokov and said: "Misha, since you have accepted my arrangement, why don't you go to your office?" Work, but still stay here chatting with Comrade Rublev?”

Sokov knew very well that Ustinov said this to save himself, so he quickly followed his intention and said: "Comrade People's Commissar, Comrade Rublev is very talkative, and I hit it off with him, so we chatted." It’s been a little longer. Don’t worry, I’ll go back to my office and continue working.”

After Ustinov took Sokov back to his office, he closed the door himself, and then cautiously asked Sokov: "Misha, I wonder what questions Rublev just asked you?"

After hearing Ustinov's question, Sokov weighed it for a while and felt that Ustinov was a trustworthy person, so he told Ustinov about the conversation he had just had with Rublev in the basement. Nov reported.

After listening to Sokov's report, Ustinov nodded slowly and said, "This is actually what I expected. The war is over, and some people may think that soldiers are no longer so important, so they start to use their brains. , intending to liquidate some people with great military exploits, and Marshal Zhukov will naturally become the target of some people because of his special status. "

"I think that even if they can't get what they want from me, they can probably get it from someone else."

"You are right, it is entirely possible." Ustinov stared at Sokov and said: "Even though you are a general now, if someone wants to deal with you, it will be easy, so You have to keep a low profile so as not to attract too much attention."

"Understood, Comrade People's Commissar."

"Just understand." Ustinov raised his hand and patted Sokov on the shoulder, and continued: "You will stay in the General Ordnance Department to design your weapons during this period, and try to avoid contact with outsiders. , might be a good thing for you.”

"Okay." Sokov also knew in his heart that he could avoid a lot of trouble by staying in the General Ordnance Department: "I can stay and work in the General Ordnance Department, but I hope that when my child is born, I can be with him. 's wife."

"This is just a small problem." Ustinov said with a smile: "We will definitely meet your request."

Just when Ustinov was about to arrange for Sokov to go to work, the phone on the table rang.

Seeing Ustinov pick up the phone, Sokov gestured to him to indicate that he was leaving first. Seeing Ustinov nodding, he turned around and prepared to walk out of the office. Unexpectedly, as soon as his hand touched the door handle, he heard Ustinov calling him from behind: "Misha, don't leave in a hurry, the phone is for you."

"What, you're looking for me?" Sokov asked in surprise, "Who is it?"

Ustinov did not immediately answer Sokov's question, but extended his hand holding the microphone to Sokov: "Come and listen for yourself, and you will know who it is."

Sokov walked over and took the phone and said respectfully: "I am Sokov, who are you?"

"Misha, hello, I'm Malenkov." Malenkov's familiar voice came from the receiver: "How are you doing these two days?"

"Very good, Comrade Malenkov, thank you for your concern." Sokov was a little confused. Why did Malenkov call here not long after he arrived at the General Ordnance Department? Could it be that he arranged for someone to be around him to monitor him? every move. With this question, he asked tentatively: "Comrade Malenkov, how did you know that I am in the General Ordnance Department?"

"I was just in Comrade Beria's office, and while drinking tea with him, I heard him answer a phone call." Malenkov said with a smile: "It seemed that someone from the Ministry of Internal Affairs assigned to the General Ordnance Department called him, saying it was You were reviewed in accordance with the procedures. I was worried that something would happen to you. After leaving Comrade Beria's office, I called Ustinov specifically to ask about your situation. Unexpectedly, you were there. It’s such a coincidence that he’s there.”

Although Malenkov's words seemed to have no focus, Sokov heard that he cared about him, otherwise he would not have made a special call to Ustinov to understand his situation. Sokov said quickly: "Thank you, Comrade Malenkov, thank you for your concern. When Comrade Ustinov took people to the basement to find me, the Ministry of Internal Affairs' review of me was declared over, and I was planning to go Do your own work.”

"As long as it's okay, it'll be okay." Before ending the call, Malenkov specifically emphasized to Sokov: "Comrade Beria and I still have a little friendship. If you meet someone from the Ministry of Internal Affairs again, If you make things difficult for you, remember to call me and I will help you solve these problems."

Sokov realized that Malenkov had given him a talisman by saying this, and thanked him again.

When Sokov put down the phone, Ustinov looked at him thoughtfully and said: "Misha, I didn't expect that you actually know Comrade Malenkov. Can you tell me when you met? "

"Of course, Comrade People's Commissar." Seeing that Ustinov was very interested in how he met Malenkov, Sokov naturally did not hide anything: "I met him in Berlin, and when I returned from Berlin this time , he and I both took Marshal Zhukov’s special train.”

"Oh, that's it, I understand." Ustinov nodded and said: "Since you know Comrade Malenkov, then you can work with peace of mind in the future, and no one will come to trouble you again. Wait for the design drawings Once you're done, you can go home."

After Sokov left Ustinov's office, he began to think about his future. Zhukov would be demoted to the Odessa Military District in a few months. With Malenkov's protection, he might not be implicated. big. The current main task is to sort out the drawings of the PKM general machine gun, which will be of great help to me in the future.

When he returned to his office, the captain sent by Ustinov to cooperate with his work was already waiting there.

When Sokov returned successfully, the captain seemed very happy: "Comrade General, you are back!"

"Yes, I'm back." Sokov nodded to the captain, and then announced: "Now, we can start working."