Red Moscow

Although Sokov responded fluently to Asiya's cross-examination, he still had a doubt in his heart. How did she know about Karina?

After finally waiting for Asya's cross-examination to end, and when he finally got through, Sokov decided to go to Yakov to ask about the situation. After all, he knew the best about Karina's situation, and he might have accidentally let it slip. He stopped talking and told Asiya about Karina.

Thinking of this, Sokov quickly grabbed the phone and dialed Yakov's office.

Soon, Yakov's voice came from the receiver: "I am Yakov!"

"Yasha, it's me!" Sokov glanced at Asiya, who was sitting on the sofa nearby and reading a book, and said cautiously: "Are you free today? I want to talk to you."

"Misha, it may not work in these two days." Yakov said anxiously: "I have too much work recently, and I will be busy for at least four or five days. When I finish working here, I will go to your house. Do you think this is okay? ?”

"Yasha, I will leave Moscow in two days." Sokov reminded the other party: "If you miss it, I'm afraid it will take several months before we can meet."

"Where are you going? Europe?" Yakov said on the phone: "Has Marshal Zhukov decided to send you to participate in this military exercise?"

"Yes, in this exercise, I will command a group of troops to conduct military exercises in the Vienna area."

"I really envy you." Yakov said with emotion: "I also told Marshal Zhukov about this at the beginning, hoping to let me participate in this military exercise. He promised well at the time, and the result was really When allocating people, I was forgotten.”

After Yakov said this, he paused for a moment and then continued: "Misha, I still have a lot of work to do now, so I won't chat with you. After get off work, I will go to your house to have a meal and let Asiya Prepare more food so that you don’t have enough.”

After hearing this, Sokov laughed loudly and said repeatedly: "Yasha, don't you know that I have hired a chef at home, let alone you alone, even if ten or eight more people come, I can guarantee that you will have food to eat. Remember, come directly after get off work, we’ll have dinner waiting for you.”

When Sokov put down the phone, Asiya also put down the book he was reading and said, "Misha, is Yasha coming over for dinner tonight?"

"Yes." Sokov nodded and said: "He will be here after get off work. You go and ask the chef to prepare a few more dishes. We have to entertain him well. After all, I don't know when I will be able to come back after I leave this time." Come back."

When Asiya got up and was about to go to the kitchen, she suddenly remembered something. She turned around and said to Sokov: "Misha, your book "Ordinary Soldier" has been completed for a long time. I don't know when you will send the manuscript." To the publishing house?”

If Asiya had not mentioned this matter, Sokov would have forgotten that he had finished writing "The Ordinary Soldier" and said quickly: "When Yasha comes over in the evening, I will give him the manuscript and ask him to help me find it. Publishing House."

"Didn't Yasha say that he is very busy recently?" Asiya reminded again: "Even if you give him the manuscript, he may not be able to go to the publishing house in a short time."

"Then what should I do?" Sokov said in embarrassment: "If it doesn't work, just wait until I come back from Europe and then send the manuscript to the publishing house."

"I don't think it's so troublesome." Asiya said, "Leave this matter to me. I'll find time to send you the manuscript to the publishing house another day."

Since Asiya volunteered, Sokov naturally would not refuse: "That's okay."

After dark, Yakov came to Sokov's house as promised.

The moment he saw Seryosha, he was stunned. He turned to ask Sokov: "Misha, don't you mean that Seryosha has died in the battle. Where did he come out now?"

"Yasha, Seryosha did not die. He was just wounded and unfortunately captured by the Germans." Sokov quickly explained to Yakov: "Later, after our army liberated the prisoners of war and rescued him, he was sent to Siberia, where he was undergoing reform through labor. This time I went to see Lieutenant General Lu Jin and happened to meet him, so I brought him back. "

"So that's it." Yakov nodded, and then asked Sokov: "Misha, how do you plan to arrange him?"

"I'm going to Europe now, and I want to take him there with me." Sokov said: "Although he cannot hold the position of an officer, there is still no problem in being an ordinary soldier."

"That's okay." Yakov continued to ask: "I wonder which army Marshal Zhukov asked you to join?"

"Fourth Guards Army."

"Oh, it turns out to be the 4th Guards Army." Yakov nodded and said, "I happen to know something about that army. When I was still in the weapons and equipment department, I sent technical equipment to this army. Woolen cloth."

"Then tell me," Sokov was eager to learn about the situation of the 4th Guards Army. At this moment, when Yakov said that he knew some inside information, he just felt like dozing off, so someone gave him a pillow and said quickly: "I'll give you some information." Tell me everything you know.”

“On May 5, 1943, according to the instructions of the headquarters of the Supreme Command, the 24th Army was officially reorganized into the 4th Guards Army, which consisted of the 20th Guards Infantry Corps, the 21st Guards Infantry Corps and the 3rd Guards Tank Corps. .

On July 3, 1943, the 4th Guards Army was incorporated into the reserve force of the Supreme Command Headquarters. On the 18th, he was incorporated into the Steppe Front Army and participated in the Battle of Kursk. On the 23rd, he was reorganized into the reserve team of the Supreme Command Base Camp.

On August 13, 1943, the 4th Guards Army was incorporated into the Voronezh Front and participated in the Belgorod-Kharkov Battle, during which the battle line was advanced to the vicinity of the Dnieper River.

On September 2, 1943, the army was once again assigned to the Steppe Front and participated in the Battle of the Dnieper River. From November to December, an attempted offensive was launched in the direction of Krivoy Rog.

From January to March 1944, the Army Group participated in the Battle of Kirovgrad and the Battle of Korsun-Shevchenkosky, assisting the friendly forces of the 1st Ukrainian Front and the 2nd Ukrainian Front to complete the to encircle the enemy.

From March to April 1944, the group army participated in the Uman-Botoshani battle. The army units crossed the Dniester River and attacked near Chisinau. In August, the army participated in the battle of Iasi-Chisinau.

On September 5, 1944, the 4th Guards Army withdrew from the front line and was incorporated into the reserve team of the Supreme Command Headquarters.

On November 3, 1944, the army was transferred to the Third Ukrainian Front and participated in the Battle of Budapest, which began a month later.

In March 1945, the group army resisted the German counterattack in the Battle of Lake Balaton and the subsequent Battle of Vienna. Its leading troops joined forces with the US military in Austria. "

Sokov chose to ignore what Yakov said before, because Germany had surrendered and the battle with the Germans had no reference value. What he is most concerned about is where the army is now stationed after joining forces with the US military in Austria.

With this question in mind, he asked Yakov tentatively: "Yakov, do you know where this army is stationed now?"

"Not sure." Yakov shook his head and said, "As you know, we have deployed dozens of armies in Europe, and I haven't paid special attention to them. How can I know where that army is stationed? "

Although he did not get the information he wanted from Yakov, Sokov was not discouraged at all. Anyway, he was going to Vienna in a few days, and it would not be too late to ask Malinin again when he met him.

Everyone enjoyed this dinner very happily.

After eating, everyone sat in the living room and drank tea for a while. Seeing that the time was almost up, Yakov got up and left.

Sokov personally delivered him to the door. Just as he was about to drive away, Sokov suddenly leaned into his ear and whispered: "Yasha, Asiya asked me about Karina today."

Yakov couldn't help being surprised when he heard what Sokov said: "What, Asya knows about Karina?"

"I know a little bit, but I don't know everything." Sokov asked tentatively: "You didn't tell her, right?"

"Misha, am I the kind of person who can't keep secrets?" Yakov said with some displeasure: "She must have known about this matter from some other channel. I think you can, at the right time, You should also talk to her about Karina. After all, someone else is pregnant with your child, which means you have someone in the Sokov family. "

"Now is not the time." Sokov shook his head and said, "You also know that Asiya has been in a low mood since her child was gone, so she spent most of her time at home recuperating. If she knew about Carrie Na’s true situation, why don’t you make her angry.”

"That's true." Yakov nodded, and then asked: "Don't you still have Agelina in Berlin? Is she also pregnant?"

"No, probably not." Hearing Yakov mention Agelina again, Sokov became more and more panicked, "I don't think it's such a coincidence, she is also pregnant."

"You are going to Europe soon. As far as I know, it is less than 700 kilometers from Vienna to Berlin. If you take a train, you can get there overnight." Yakov looked at Sokov and asked: "Don't you Don’t you want to see Agelina?”

"We'll talk about this later." Sokov said with a wry smile, "I don't know if I can spare the time yet."

"If you can go to Berlin, I advise you to go there." Yakov said solemnly: "No one knows whether you will have the chance to go again after you leave Europe this time. Even if you can go again Europe, but will Agelina continue to work in Berlin?”

"Okay, Yasha, stop talking." Yakov's words made Sokov confused. He waved his hands and said, "I'd better wait until I get to Europe to talk about these things. It's too early to talk about these things now." A little bit.”

After seeing Yakov off and returning to the living room, Asiya looked at him and asked, "Why have you and Yasha been chatting for so long?"

Sokov said perfunctorily: "I am going to Europe this time, and I don't know when I will come back, so I couldn't help but chat with Yasha a little more. It's getting late, so you should go and rest early."

…

Early the next morning, Sokov received a call from Zhukov.

Zhukov asked on the phone: "Misha, Yasha called me and said that he hopes to accompany you to Europe. What do you think about this?"

Sokov wanted Yakov to go to Europe with him and serve as his deputy commander or chief of staff, so that he could have a reliable helper. But since Zhukov asked this, he obviously didn't want Yakov to go to Europe, so he could only throw the question to Zhukov: "Comrade Marshal, no matter what decision you make, I will firmly support it."

Zhukov did not expect that Sokov would actually put the choice in his own hands again. After thinking for a while, he said: "Although Yasha has served as chief of staff in the army, his abilities are limited and he is not suitable to participate in such military exercises." , so in my opinion, he is not allowed to go to Europe.”

"Comrade Marshal, you are very thoughtful." Sokov knew very well that when Yakov was captured by the Germans, he was just an artillery lieutenant. Later, after he was rescued from the prisoner of war camp, he continued to be promoted due to various opportunities. , until becoming a general. But his general lacked real combat experience, and letting him participate in commanding operations might make things messy. Therefore, Sokov firmly agreed with Zhukov's decision: "Maybe the work in the General Ordnance Department, More suitable for Yasha.”

"Misha, since your opinion is consistent with mine, then I will call Yasha back and tell him that I don't agree with him going to Europe."

"Comrade Marshal, I will comply with your decision."

"Misha." Asiya came to Sokov's side at some point. As soon as Sokov put down the phone, she asked: "Misha, why don't you agree to Yasha accompanying you to Europe?" You know, you are good friends. If he can serve as your deputy, it will be very helpful for your work. "

"Asia, although I hope Yasha can go to Europe with me, haven't you heard that Marshal Zhukov himself doesn't want him to go?"

"I, I didn't hear it."

"Actually, this is where Marshal Zhukov is shrewd." Sokov explained to Asiya: "When he received the call from Yasha, he did not immediately give the other party an accurate answer, but said that he should think about it. Just to buy yourself a buffer time. You also know that Yasha has a special status. If Marshal Zhukov directly rejects him, he may move his father out directly. At that time, Marshal Zhukov may have no choice but to change his mind and let him also. Head to Europe to participate in the largest postwar exercise."

After listening to Sokov's explanation, Asiya was still dubious: "Since he doesn't want Yasha to go to Europe, he can just find a reason to refuse in a few days. Why should I make this call to you? Isn't this unnecessary? ?”

"I think if Marshal Zhukov told Yasha that after research by the General Staff, he is not allowed to go to Europe." Sokov continued: "After Yasha knows the news, he will definitely call me to talk about it. I will tell him about Marshal Zhukov's call. In this way, Yasha will mistakenly think that Marshal Zhukov has made efforts for him to go to Europe, but due to various reasons, he did not. It can make him achieve his wish. Even if he feels disappointed in his heart, he will not complain that Marshal Zhukov is unkind. "