Rokossovsky readily agreed to Malinin's proposal, and he immediately called Deputy Commander Trubnikov, who was at the moment at the headquarters of the 21st Army, supervising the build-up and movement of the troops.

After the phone was connected, Rokossovsky said straight to the point: "Hello, Comrade Deputy Commander, something urgent happened, can you immediately return to the command headquarters?" ”

"No problem," Trubnikov knew Rokossovsky very well, knew that there was nothing important, and he would never suddenly call himself back to the command, so he said decisively: "I will return to the command immediately." ”

Forty minutes later, Trubnikov appeared in the command, he walked up to Rokossovsky and politely said: "Comrade commander, I'm back!" ”

Rokossovsky, who was reading the documents, heard Trubnikov's voice, looked up and smiled at him, and then pointed to the vacant seat next to him and said politely: "Comrade Deputy Commander, please take a seat!" ”

After Trubnikov sat down, he looked at Rokossovsky and asked: "Comrade commander, I don't know if you are in such a hurry to recruit me back, is there anything important?" ”

"That's right, Comrade Deputy Commander." Rokossovsky spoke: "You should know that the recent movement of our troops, for various reasons, looks very chaotic. In order to ensure the build-up of troops in the Yerets area, I intend to go to the area with the headquarters and the political department to establish a new front command. ”

Trubnikov and Rokossovsky's partner had also been in business for some time, and when he said this, he immediately understood his intentions and asked tentatively: "Comrade commander, if I am not mistaken, are you going to leave me in charge of the aftermath of the Stalingrad region?" ”

"That's right, exactly." Rokossovsky turned his head to look at Malinin next to him, and then said: "Originally, I planned to entrust this work to the chief of staff. However, since he has to coordinate the transportation of the troops with the railway troops, he cannot spare himself, so I will entrust this important task to you. I'll have the Chief of Staff prepare you a lean team of officers to assist you in your work. ”

"Comrade commander, can you tell me about the current situation in the Yerets region?" Trubnikov waited for Rokossovsky to finish speaking, and then asked curiously.

"In the battle of Voronezh-Kastornoye, which ended on the 2nd of this month, the left flank of the Voronezh Front and the Bryansk Front, successfully routed the German Second Army and liberated large areas of the Voronezh and Kursk regions." Rokossovsky told Trubnikov: "Due to the fact that the armies of the two fronts advanced too fast, a huge vacuum appeared between them. In order to prevent the Germans from taking advantage of the vacuum in Yeretz and cutting our troops into two disconnected parts, we need to rush to these newly liberated areas as soon as possible to ensure the security of the flanks of the troops of the two fronts. ”

"Don't worry, Comrade Commander." When Rokossovsky finished speaking, Trubnikov assured him: "As long as the chief of staff can negotiate with the local railway department, then all our troops stranded in the Stalingrad region can be transported to the Yerets region within the specified time." By the way, when are you leaving? ”

Rokossovsky angrily snorted at the staff officers who were packing up their things and said: "The staff officers are packing their things, and we will set off at dawn tomorrow." ”

…………

Early the next morning, a long convoy of the Command and the Political Department of the Front marched in the direction of Yelets along a barely passable road.

Terekin, who was sitting in the same car as Rokossovsky, looked at the clear sky through the window of the vehicle during the march of the vehicle and said with emotion: "Comrade commander, when our troops march towards Stalingrad, they can only choose a cloudy day at night or when enemy planes cannot be dispatched. Unexpectedly, after only a few months, our convoy was able to boldly march on the unobstructed highway on a clear day. It's just incredible. ”

Hearing Terekin say this, Rokossovsky smiled faintly, "Comrade Military Commissar, there is nothing strange about this, our commanders and fighters have grown up in the war, our army has become stronger and stronger, the balance of victory in the war has begun to tilt to our side, and it is only a matter of time before the fascist invaders are defeated. ”

Rokossovsky's words aroused Terekin's curiosity, and he hurriedly asked: "Comrade commander, I would like to ask, how long do you think it will take us to defeat the Germans and drive them from our land?" ”

To Terekin's question, Rokossovsky, of course, could not tell him that the USSR would completely defeat fascist Germany in May 45. In that case, even if you don't think Terekin is crazy, you will think that he is too whimsical. Therefore, he pretended to be silent for a long time before he said slowly: "Although we achieved a great victory at Stalingrad and completely annihilated an elite army group of the Germans, we must also see that the strength of the German army is still very strong, and it is not possible to completely defeat them overnight. ”

After the convoy was bumpy on the road for four or five hours, Rokossovsky looked out the window and saw that everywhere there was a white expanse, except for snowy fields and snow-covered forests, and there was not even a village in sight, so he asked the adjutant who was sitting in the driver's seat: "Where have we been?" ”

The adjutant hurriedly unfolded the map in his hand, looked at it for a moment, and then turned his head and reported to Rokossovsky where the convoy was. After listening to this, Rokossovsky said thoughtfully to Terekin: "Comrade Military Commissar, this is not far from the headquarters of the Bryansk Front, are you interested in accompanying me?" ”

"Okay," Terekin immediately agreed, hearing Rokossovsky's proposal: "You have previously served as a commander in the Bryansk Front, and this past is tantamount to a return to the old place. ”

Seeing that Terekin was willing to go with him to the Bryansk Front, Rokossovsky ordered the driver: "Stop!" ”

Without waiting for the car to stop, the adjutant turned to look at Rokossovsky, waiting for him to give the order. Rokossovsky pointed at him with his hand and ordered: "You go find a few staff officers, bring a radio station, and follow me to the Bryansk Front." ”

The adjutant loudly agreed, and as soon as the car stopped, he immediately jumped out of the car, ran to the middle of the road to stop the car behind, and prepared to gather several staff officers and communications soldiers to accompany Rokossovsky to the Bryansk Front with a radio.

When Terekin saw that the adjutant had gotten out of the car to summon people, he smiled and said to Rokossovsky: "Comrade commander, not only our upcoming troops are your old troops, but even the current commander, General Leytel, is an old friend with you. ”

"That's right, Comrade Military Commissar, you are quite right." Rokossovsky nodded and said affirmatively: "I met General Leitel when I was serving in Transbaikal in 1929. After working together for half a year, he was transferred to the post of deputy head of the industrial air defense of the Supreme Council of National Economy of the USSR, and in 1932 he was transferred to the commander of the 73rd Infantry Division of the Siberian Military District. After graduating from the Frunze Military Academy in 1935, he was transferred to the General Staff. He has successively served as the director of the Military Training Division, the assistant commander and deputy commander of the North Caucasus Military District. ”

The two chatted for a while, and then saw the adjutant return to the car. He reported to Rokossovsky: "Comrade commander, those who accompanied you to the Bryansk Front are ready and ready to go. In addition, I informed Oryol and General Kazakov and asked them to continue their march with the members of the command to the designated place. ”

"You're doing a great job." Rokossovsky nodded at his new adjutant, and then ordered: "Now that you are ready, let's go." ”

Seeing that Rokossovsky was riding in a jeep, he broke away from the convoy and drove towards a fork in the road, immediately followed by two jeeps and a covered truck full of fighters, who were going to go with Rokossovsky to the Bryansk Front.

The location of the headquarters convoy was seventy kilometers from the headquarters of the Bryansk Front, and because of the rough and difficult roads, Rokossovsky's small convoy took two hours to reach its destination.

The headquarters of General Lejter, located in a small town, at the entrance to the town, there were checkpoints, as well as several barricade fortifications. Seeing a convoy of four vehicles approaching the town, the officer on duty immediately raised the alarm, and the machine gunners in the fortifications pointed their guns in the direction of the vehicles, and without hesitation, they opened fire without hesitation.

Rokossovsky saw that there was a checkpoint ahead, and in order to avoid misunderstanding, he ordered the driver to stop. Seeing that Rokossovsky's car stopped, the cars following behind also stopped one after another, and the fighters sitting in the covered truck jumped out of the car one after another, and a cordon was arranged around Rokossovsky's car.

The officer on duty saw that it was his own people who got out of the car, and hurriedly announced that the alarm was lifted, and he took several fighters with him, bypassing the obstacles placed in the middle of the road, and met Rokossovsky's car.

When he was still seven or eight meters away from Rokossovsky's car, he was stopped by the soldiers who were on guard. Seeing that he could not come forward, and did not want to clash with friendly troops, the officer shouted at the car: "What part of you are and what are you doing here?" ”

Hearing the shouts of the officer, the adjutant hurriedly turned his head to look at Rokossovsky, waiting for him to give him the order. Rokossovsky didn't speak, but nodded at the adjutant, signaling that he could tell the other party his identity.

The adjutant who understood quickly pushed the car door, strode towards the officer, stopped two or three paces away from the other party, and then loudly identified himself to the other party: "Comrade officer, the commander of the Central Front, General Rokossovsky, is sitting in the car, and the commander of the Front, General Leitel, who has something to visit you. ”

Due to the fact that the Central Front was newly formed, the officer on duty did not know that there was such a unit number, but when he heard Rokossovsky's order, a smile suddenly appeared on his face: "It turned out to be General Rokossovsky, he was our previous commander." At this point, he turned around and instructed the warriors who were following him, "What are you still doing here, immediately remove the obstacles on the road." ”

Seeing the fighters on duty moving the obstacles on the road, the adjutant smiled slightly, and made a gesture to the fighters gathered around Rokossovsky's car, signaling them all to go back to their cars. When the soldiers dispersed, the adjutant nodded and smiled at the officer, and said politely: "Thank you, comrade officer!" ”

When Rokossovsky's convoy restarted, the officer on duty and his fighters stood in a row on the side of the road, raised their hands and saluted the convoy that passed in front of them. As soon as the convoy had gone far, the officers rushed into a guard box on the side of the road and called the duty room of the headquarters to inform them of Rokossovsky's imminent arrival.

By the time Rokossovsky's convoy arrived at the church in the center of the town, General Reutel was already waiting outside the door with the members of his command. Seeing the officers waiting at the door in the cold wind, Rokossovsky didn't wait for the car to stop, he pushed the door and got out of the car, stepped forward and grabbed Leitel's hand, and said apologetically: "General Leitel, you are so polite, you actually took everyone to wait for me outside in the bitter cold." ”

"That's as it should be." While shaking hands with Rokossovsky, Leitel said excitedly: "You know, you are not only a hero of the defense of Stalingrad, but also a former commander of the Bryansk Front. Comrade Rokossovsky, welcome to our Bryansk Front. ”

After saying this, Lejtel began to introduce the commander standing next to him. Some of these men had worked under Rokossovsky, while others had been transferred from other units after Leitel took office. But whether it was an acquaintance or an unfamiliar commander, Rokossovsky smiled and shook hands with each other one by one, and would have a friendly conversation when he met acquaintances.

After introducing all the officers, Leutel continued: "General Rokossovsky, it's too cold outside the door, let's go to the headquarters and talk." Please! With that, he leaned sideways into the church and made a gesture of please.

"General Leitel, please too!" Rokossovsky made the same gesture before he and Leitel walked shoulder to shoulder on the steps in front of the church and towards the headquarters inside.