When Rokossovsky was left alone in the office, he felt a little uneasy in his heart. Although today is Friday, the relevant departments are off work, and the leaders of the military district are almost all on their way to Ternopil, even if the political deputy commander Kamenev wants to file a complaint, he may not be able to find anyone. However, if he really brought in a certain powerful superior, not only would the preparation exercise that he had carefully arranged would be in vain, but he would even be dismissed from his post on the spot.

In order to prevent accidents, Rokossovsky, after careful consideration, decided to prepare in advance for possible unexpected events. Thinking of this, he picked up the phone on the table, dialed a number, and said to the person who answered the phone: "I'm Rokossovsky, let the deputy commander of the guard battalion, Captain Grissa, come to my office." ”

When Rokossovsky was still the commander of the Fifth Cavalry Corps, Captain Grissa was the commander of the guard company under him, and later came with him to the Ninth Mechanized Corps, and served as the deputy commander of the guard battalion, a very trustworthy old subordinate. When there was something important to do, Rokossovsky thought of him first.

A few minutes later, Captain Grisha appeared in Rokossovsky's office. Looking at the young and very light, tall and thin captain, wearing a crooked ship-shaped cap, Rokossovsky got up from his seat, walked up in front of him, looked up and down, and asked in an official tone: "Comrade Captain, how many years have you been by my side?" ”

Grissa stared ahead without squinting and replied loudly: "Report to Comrade Commander, I have been following you since 1936, and it has been five years now. ”

Hearing Grisa's answer, Rokossovsky nodded with a smile, and then asked: "Comrade Captain, can I trust you?" ”

Grissa didn't know why Rokossovsky asked this, but he quickly replied: "Of course, Comrade Commander, I will obey every order you give unconditionally." ”

Rokossovsky was very satisfied with Grisa's answer, and he asked tentatively: "Captain, if I order you to arrest a few people, can you carry out this order?" ”

"Comrade Commander, what are you going to do?" Grissa thought to himself, "Arrest a few people, isn't this something that should be done by someone from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, why should it be handed over to me?" ”

Seeing that Grissa did not immediately answer his question, Rokossovsky looked him up and down with stern eyes, and at the same time wondered in his heart, was the captain frightened by his question, so he didn't dare to answer?

Sensing that Rokossovsky was looking at him with dissatisfaction, Grisa's face flushed, he coughed twice to hide his embarrassment, and then asked: "Comrade commander, please let me know about the mission, I don't know who you plan to arrest?" ”

Rokossovsky turned around and walked behind the desk and sat down, looked up at Grisa, and asked: "What if the person to be arrested is Comrade Kamenev, the deputy commander of the political army?" ”

When Grissa heard Rokossovsky say this, although he was extremely shocked, he hesitated only for a moment, and then replied decisively: "Comrade commander, I obey your orders!" After saying this, he paused for a moment and then asked, "Is there anyone else besides the political deputy commander?" ”

"And, of course, Comrade Captain." Rokossovsky looked at Grissa and said with a smile: "Among the people to be arrested, there may be high-ranking chiefs from the military district. ”

As soon as these words came out, Grissa couldn't help but give a cold war. He hesitated for a moment before he asked in confusion: "Comrade commander, can I ask why?" ”

"Yes." Rokossovsky, in order to keep Grissa from looking ahead and backward out of fear when he was on a mission, planned to let him know some truths properly: "You should know that I just gave the order for the exercise, right? Seeing that Grissa nodded in understanding, he continued, "In order to prevent the drill plan from being disrupted, I need your help to temporarily control some people who try to interfere with the exercise. Among these people are the political deputy commander Kamenev, as well as the leadership of the military district level that may suddenly appear. ”

"What do you do with them after you control them? Do you want to find a place to be imprisoned, or do you ......" Grissa stopped when he said this, made a trigger pull motion with his right hand, and asked silently with his mouth: "Shoot!" ”

Grisa's reaction startled Rokossovsky, and he hurriedly waved his hand and said, "Captain, you misunderstood. I'm asking you to keep them under control, just not to let them interfere with me in issuing orders to the troops. As soon as the exercise is over, their freedom must be restored. ”

"Understood, Comrade Commander." Grissa raised her hand to wipe the fine sweat oozing from her forehead, and then asked carefully, "Can I leave?" ”

"You go back and find ten trustworthy fighters, ready at all times, and as soon as you get my call, you immediately feel my office coming." Rokossovsky waved his hand at him and admonished: "Go, Comrade Captain." ”

Rokossovsky made such an arrangement just in case. Unexpectedly, the next afternoon, when the exercise was in full swing, two uninvited guests came to his office.

One of them was Vashukin, the military commissar of the military district with whom Rokossovsky was familiar, and the other was the commander of the Air Force, General Putukhin, with whom he had little intersection. It was on the way to Ternopil that the two met Kamenev, who was about to go to Kiev to file a complaint, and learned that Rokossovsky was carrying out a so-called preparatory exercise with the military district behind his back. After hearing the news, Vashukin was really angry, and immediately dragged his fellow Putushin to settle accounts with Rokossovsky.

When Vashukin angrily broke into Rokossovsky's office, and saw that the latter was calmly reviewing the documents, he walked quickly to the table, slapped the table fiercely, and asked viciously: "Comrade Rokossovsky, who gave you the right to conduct such a combat readiness exercise that may cause panic without asking for instructions and reporting to the military district?" ”

Rokossovsky put down the documents in his hand, made a gesture of invitation to the seat next to him, and then explained to Vashukin in a calm tone: "Comrade Military Commissar, I think that from the intelligence you have gathered from the military district, you should be able to conclude that the German troops are massing on the border and are preparing to attack us. ”

Vashukin and Putukhin sat down in the chairs opposite Rokossovsky, while Kamenev stood behind them. Vashukin pointed his finger at Rokossovsky's nose and said in a stern tone: "Comrade Rokossovsky, your panic will plunge the minds of our commanders and fighters into chaos. I order you, on behalf of the Military Council of the Military District, to immediately stop this unsolicited exercise. ”

Rokossovsky remained calm in the face of the furious Vashukin, and he also tried to persuade the other party to change his mind: "Comrade Military Commissar, the reason why I made the decision to hold combat readiness exercises in Zhytomyr is so that the soldiers and civilians in the city can be ready for battle in the shortest possible time when war breaks out. ”

"Ridiculous, ridiculous!" Vashukin did not listen to Rokossovsky's persuasion at all, but continued to speak violently: "I order you, immediately stop the exercises, otherwise you will receive the punishment you deserve, be sent to a military court, and receive the punishment you deserve." ”

Seeing that the persuasion was ineffective, Rokossovsky sighed helplessly, picked up the phone on the table, dialed a number, and said into the microphone: "Captain, come to my office immediately." ”

Although Vashukin saw Rokossovsky make this phone call with his own eyes, he thought that the other party was under pressure from himself and planned to terminate the exercise and made a phone call to his subordinates, not only restrained the anger on his face, but even said in a friendly tone: "Comrade Rokossovsky, this is the right way!" ”

But what happened next was much more than everyone expected. Grissa entered the headquarters with several heavily armed fighters and pointed their guns at Vashukin and the three of them.

Seeing this, Vashukin and the others were all shocked. Seeing that the situation was not good, Kamenev hurriedly walked up to Grissa and said stiffly: "Captain, do you know what you are doing? Who gave you the right to dare to turn your guns on the comrades of the military commissar from the military districts? ”

"This is my order." Rokossovsky saw a trace of panic flashing in Grisa's eyes, and quickly stood up and took the responsibility on himself, and then instructed Grisa: "Captain, you send a person to the telegraph room and send a telegram to the command of the military district, saying that the military commissar and the commander of the air force are guests with us, and if there is any important situation, ask them to forward it to the Ninth Mechanized Army." ”

"Yes!" Grissa answered, called over to one of the sergeants standing beside him, whispered a few words in his ear, and sent him away.

As soon as Vashukin and the other fighter left, he said viciously to Rokossovsky: "Comrade Rokossovsky, do you know? You are committing a crime, and I command you to stop this wrong action immediately, and I will not be guilty of the past. ”

"Comrade Military Commissar," Rokossovsky unceremoniously interrupted him without waiting for him to finish, "I was forced to do so. Now please stay with me patiently with General Putukhin for a few hours, and you will understand why I am doing this. ”

After he finished speaking, Putukhin, who had not spoken, opened his mouth: "Comrade Rokossovsky, although I have not spent much time with you, I still know a little about your character. I think that since you want to detain the two of us, you must have a last resort. Am I right? ”

After listening to Putukhin's words, Rokossovsky nodded, and said to the two of them sincerely: "Military Commissar, General Putukhin, don't worry, as long as you wait until four o'clock tomorrow morning, you can regain your freedom." ”

Originally standing up, Vashukin sat back in his chair and said angrily: "Well, we will stay with you until four o'clock tomorrow morning, and I want to see how you end?" ”

Rokossovsky heard him say this, and without saying a word, he pulled out the matching gun on his waist. Whether it was Vashukin, Putukhin or Kamenev, seeing Rokossovsky's action, he instinctively stretched his hand to his waist and prepared to draw his gun, but was stopped by the guards standing next to him.

Rokossovsky shook the pistol in his hand, put it on the table with a clatter, then pushed the gun in front of Vashukin, and said sincerely: "Comrade Military Commissar, if you have not changed your mind by four o'clock tomorrow morning, you can kill me with this gun." But my men," he said, raised his hand to look at the guards standing in the room, and said in a slower tone, "and let them go, after all, they are also under orders." ”

"Comrade Commander......" Grissa heard Rokossovsky say this, and hurriedly shouted, and was about to show his heart, but was stopped by Rokossovsky raising his hand: "Okay, Comrade Captain, obey my orders." At four o'clock tomorrow morning, Comrade Military Commissar will shoot me to death, and you are not allowed to act rashly. Do you understand? ”

Grissa hesitated for a moment, but seeing Rokossovsky's stern eyes, he had to nod helplessly and whispered: "Understood, Comrade Commander." ”