Red Moscow

After the firewood in the firewood room was removed, another white sheet was lifted, revealing two stacks of fur furs that were more than a person's height hidden behind. The clothes were neatly folded, and because the black interlining was exposed outside, Sokov couldn't see the color of these wooden blocks, so he asked Gumyev curiously: "Gumyev, these wooden blocks are all What color is it?"

"There are only three colors: black, gray and khaki, all of which are more than 1.2 meters tall." After introducing the colors, Gumyev took the initiative to say without waiting for Sokov to ask: "Every stack There are four bundles, each with five pieces of wooden piers, a total of forty pieces. Comrade commander, let your people move the things out, it is not suitable to stay here for a long time, we should leave as soon as possible.”

Sokov knew very well that the mid-length wooden pier made of sheepskin weighed about eight to ten kilograms, which meant that a bundle weighed nearly a hundred catties. He turned his head and said to Christopher and others who were standing aside: "What are you still standing here for, why don't you move quickly?"

Christopher had never touched a wooden pier before, so he didn't know how heavy it was. When he picked up a bundle of clothes from the pile of clothes, his face was flushed because of too much force, and he said with some embarrassment: "My God, why are these clothes so heavy?" bundles, but after feeling the weight of the clothes, he finally chose to hold one bundle at a time.

Taking advantage of his subordinates moving clothes outside, Sokov said to Gina: "Gina, we are going back to Stalingrad, will you go back with us?"

Regarding Sokov's proposal, Gina thought about it, and then said: "I want to go back to Stalingrad with you, but there are still some canned food made by myself at home. If I keep it, it will be cheaper for the Germans." .If you can help me with these cans, I'll go with you."

"Where's your can?" Gumyev asked.

"It's in my kitchen." Gina said to Sokov and Gumyev, "I'll show you there."

When Sokov helped Gumyev to Gina's kitchen, he saw a three-story wooden shelf in the corner full of various glass bottles and cans, including pickled cucumbers, pickled tomatoes, pickled mushrooms and other vegetables Canned food, as well as canned fruit such as apples and plums, and even a few jars of honey.

Sokov asked with some guilt: "Gina, you said you want us to help you transport these cans to Stalingrad?"

"Yes." Gina nodded affirmatively: "If you don't take them away and stay here, it's not for nothing that the Germans are cheap. Don't worry, there are not many, there are only more than a hundred cans."

After hearing the numbers Gina said, Sokov couldn't help but take a breath, and said to himself that you really regarded the armored vehicle we were riding in as a small truck, and with so many cans in it, there are still seats left for people. How much do you want? He coughed lightly, and while Gina was not paying attention, he winked at Gumyev, who was supporting him, and motioned him to persuade Gina.

Before Gumyev came to the kitchen, he thought that the cans that Gina was going to take away were at most a dozen or twenty cans, so there should be no problem. Unexpectedly, when he saw a shelf full of cans and bottles, he couldn't help being dumbfounded. Even though he and Gina are very familiar, but it is the first time to enter each other's kitchen. I never dreamed that there will be more than one hundred cans here, and each glass bottle is not small. If it is to be put into an armored vehicle, How else to behave? After seeing Sokov's hint to himself, he said quickly: "Gina, I think it is necessary to remind us that we are riding an armored vehicle instead of a truck, and the space is limited, so we can't put so many things."

Knowing that the armored car could not fit her belongings, Gina showed a disappointed expression on her face: "What, can't these cans fit in the car? I also want you to help me transport the table and bed at home to Stalin What about Gele. You know, those furniture are antiques from the Ekaterina era..."

When Sokov heard this, he almost turned his head and left, thinking not to mention that the armored vehicle couldn't fit so many cans, even if it could fit, I would definitely not pack it. This Gina is too good at making progress. First, she wanted me to help her transport cans, and now she wants to transport some antique furniture from the Ekaterina period. If it continues to develop, do you want me to arrange someone to help her dismantle the house? , and then rebuild an identical house in Stalingrad?

"Gina," Gumyev said to Gina with a straight face, "we sent you back to Stalingrad because we were worried that you would be in danger staying here. But these cans and so-called antique furniture cannot be taken away. Yes. Think carefully about whether to leave these things and follow us back to Stalingrad? Or continue to stay here with these pots and pans of yours?"

After some deliberation, Gina made a final decision: "Gumyev, and the commander, thank you for your kindness. I think I should keep it. There are so many things in the house, I can't I don’t want to take advantage of the Germans in vain.”

Seeing that Gina agreed to stay, Sokov couldn't help but secretly heave a sigh of relief. It happened that Christopher came in from the outside and reported to him: "Comrade Brigadier, all the things have been loaded, and we can start."

…………

The armored vehicle that Sokov and the others were riding skillfully passed through the gap between the German and Soviet defenses and returned to Mamayev Post smoothly. As soon as the car entered the defense zone of the infantry brigade, Belkin received a report from the observation post, and quickly brought a soldier from the guard squad out to meet him.

The armored vehicle stopped five or six meters away from Belkin and the others. Sokov stood up and waved to Belkin: "Comrade Comrade, call some soldiers to help. There are wounded in the car!"

Hearing that there were wounded in the car, Belkin couldn't help but thumped in his heart, secretly wondering who was injured? He didn't dare to be negligent, and quickly told the security squad leader beside him: "Hurry up and take your people to help."

Sokov stood in the carriage, and the soldiers commanding the security squad opened the rear door first, and then ordered them to say, "Move these bundles of clothes down first, and then come up and carry the wounded down."

The soldiers in the security squad were all thick-backed, and it was not a trivial matter to move these dozens of heavy things. They moved eight bundles of clothes out of the car. Then they got into the car again and helped Gumyev out of the car.

Belkin saw that the wounded man who was being helped out by the soldiers was an unfamiliar face, so he couldn't help asking Sokov curiously: "Comrade Brigadier, who is this comrade?"

"He was a guerrilla deputy captain who met me on the road. He was wounded in the battle to rescue the female scout. Since the medical conditions in the guerrillas were limited, I took him back to the city to receive better treatment. Treatment." Sokov told the soldiers: "Send him to the health team and let the military doctor treat his wound."

Hearing what Sokov said, Belkin couldn't help asking in surprise: "Have you found the female scout?"

"Yes, I found it, and the information was also sent to the Army Group Command by telegram." After Sokov finished speaking, he pointed to Maria who had just got out of the car and said, "Comrade Political Commissar, let me introduce you , This is Comrade Maria, the female scout we found. Maria, this is my political commissar Belgin."

"Hello, Comrade Maria!"

"Hello, Comrade Commissar!"

Taking advantage of the time when the two shook hands, Sokov said to Belkin: "Comrade Commissar, we have driven for half a day, and Comrade Maria is very tired. Let her rest for a while and eat something, and I will personally Send her to Army Group Headquarters."

Belkin let go of Maria's hand, turned to Sokov and said, "Comrade Brigadier, the Army Group Command has moved out of the factory area, and it should be in the process of relocation at this moment. You'd better go there later."

"Moved?" Sokov knew Chuikov's headquarters, which had been moved many times throughout the Stalingrad War. If it wasn't for his own appearance, Chuikov's headquarters should be at Mamayev Hill at this moment, not at the station of the armored train battalion. He was eager to know the location of the new headquarters, so he asked curiously, "Where did you move?"

"Moved to a tunnel called 'Tsaritsin Cave' by the Tsaritsa River." Belkin explained to Sokov: "I went there some time ago, and there are two tunnels where the new headquarters is located. The exit, the downward exit leads directly to the riverbed of the Tsaritsa River; the upward exit leads directly to Pushkin Avenue. When you go to the headquarters later, you can ask the driver to drive directly to Pushkin Avenue."

"Christopher." Sokov waited for Belkin to finish speaking, and immediately shouted to Christopher who was gesticulating the soldiers not far away: "Come to me."

"What's the matter, Comrade Brigadier?" Christopher came over and asked.

"Take the wooden pier we brought back, and leave a bundle." Sokov said to Christopher: "I will take it to the Army Group Command later."

After Christopher left, Belkin asked curiously: "Comrade Brigadier, what kind of wooden pier?"

"It's a kind of fur, which can keep out the cold. The guerrilla leader you saw just now used to be a cobbler in a fur processing factory. These clothes were obtained through him. Let the soldiers on duty at night wear these clothes, It can prevent frostbite." Sokov said: "Such a good thing, of course, Comrade Commander cannot be forgotten, so I will personally send a few to them."

"Although it's just entered September, the weather is getting colder every day." Belkin said with a smile, "I think Comrade Commander will be very happy to see this gift from you."

Sokov leaned close to Belkin's ear and whispered, "Comrade Commissar, I actually gave gifts to the commanders for another purpose. As you just said, the weather is getting colder and colder, but our Soldiers still wear single clothes, so after I give gifts, I can justifiably ask the commander about winter clothes.”