"How's the guy?" Zhukov, who hurried over from the Bryansk Front, the first thing he did after entering the command of the Front was to ask Terekin what he was most concerned about: "Have you woken up?" ”

Terekin and the surrounding leaders of the front army all bowed their heads in unison. Terekin replied in a dry voice: "Still unconscious." ”

"Take me to see it." Zhukov said expressionlessly.

Zhukov followed Terekin into the private room where Rokossovsky was lying, and saw a young female military doctor sitting on the edge of the bed, changing the wet towel on Rokossovsky's forehead. Seeing Zhukov and the others coming in from outside, they quickly stood up and stood upright in place with their heads held high.

"Comrade military doctor," Zhukov looked at the female military doctor, and couldn't help frowning slightly, saying in his heart How could there be a female military doctor here, who arranged it, it's just nonsense. However, he was anxious to find out about Rokossovsky's condition, so instead of getting angry, he asked coldly: "How is the situation with Comrade Rokossovsky?" ”

Hearing Zhukov's question, the female military doctor hurriedly replied: "Report to Comrade Marshal, the commander's heartbeat, blood pressure and breathing are normal......

"It's all normal?!" Zhukov didn't wait for the other party to finish, and then impatiently interrupted her later words, "Since you said that everything is normal with him, why hasn't he woken up until now?" ”

The female military doctor who was reproached blushed, endured her grievances and said, "I'm sorry, Comrade Marshal, I don't know the specific reason. Since I took over, I have carefully examined Comrade Commander, and there is nothing unusual about his body, but I don't understand why he has not woken up until now. ”

Seeing that the female military doctor was about to cry when she was wronged, Ma Lining hurriedly came out to play a round: "Comrade Marshal, the day is already approaching, since Comrade Commander has not woken up yet, then I would like to ask you to officially take over all the affairs of the front army." ”

"Let me take over the work of the Front?" Zhukov looked at Malinin and asked, "Have you asked the base camp for instructions?" You must know that when fighting in a large corps, the most taboo thing is to casually change the head of the front army, and different command styles and orders that contradict those of our predecessors will make our grassroots unit commanders at a loss. ”

"Comrade Marshal, we reported to the Supreme Commander himself on your way here, as well as the fact that the commander was unconscious." Ponomarenko, seeing that Zhukov had scruples, hurriedly explained to him: "The Supreme Commander himself has made a decision to transfer the command of the Central Front to you if the commander does not wake up before dawn." ”

Although Ponomarenko personally told Zhukov that he could directly replace Rokossovsky as commander of the Front, he decided to call Stalin for the sake of safety.

While waiting for the phone to answer in the outside room, Zhukov pouted in the direction of the hut and asked, "Whose idea was that female military doctor?" ”

"It was the Supreme Commander himself who suggested it to us." Several of the leaders of the front army sitting beside him replied in unison.

Hearing that it was Stalin's intention to send female military doctors to take care of Rokossovsky, Zhukov avoided talking about this matter, but asked Malinin: "Comrade Chief of Staff, has the situation on the battlefield changed during this night?"

"Since sunset last night, the German offensive on our defensive zone has completely stopped." Malinin replied unequivocally: "There is not even a sneak attack at night." ”

Zhukov nodded, and just wanted to say something, but heard Maksimenko call him: "Comrade Marshal, the phone with the Kremlin has been connected." ”

As soon as Zhukov picked up the phone, he heard Stalin's voice coming out of the receiver: "Comrade Zhukov? Did Rokossovsky wake up? ”

"No, Comrade Stalin. According to the report of the military doctor, Rokossovsky's heartbeat, blood pressure and breathing were normal, but he just couldn't wake up, and it is not known why. After a brief report on Rokossovsky's situation, Zhukov asked Stalin for instructions: "Will I be in command of the Central Front next?" ”

"Yes, during the period when Rokossovsky has not yet woken up, you will temporarily assume the post of commander of the Central Front." Stalin said worriedly on the phone: "If in two days he does not wake up, send him back to Moscow." The medical conditions and the level of doctors here are better than those on the front line. ”

"I agree with you, Comrade Stalin." Zhukov assured Stalin: "As long as he does not wake up the night after tomorrow, I will immediately send a plane to Moscow." ”

The sky gradually brightened, but surprisingly, there was no battle report from the front. Malinin, who felt that something was wrong, first called Pukhov, the commander of the 13th Army, and asked straight to the point: "General Pukhov, how is the situation there, why has no battle report been transmitted to the headquarters until now?" ”

"Comrade Chief of Staff," Pukhov also said confusedly, "in normal times, as soon as dawn is the day, the Germans launch an offensive against us, but today we have somehow done it, and there is still silence on the opposite position." ”

"Closely monitor the enemy's movements and report to us at any time." After Ma Lining finished speaking, he hung up the phone directly. Just when he was about to call the commanders of the 48th and 70th armies, he was stopped by Zhukov: "Okay, Comrade Chief of Staff, no need to call." ”

Malinin put down the phone and looked at Zhukov with a blank expression, not understanding why he would suddenly give himself such an order. Zhukov looked at him and said: "Since the Germans did not make any movement in the direction of the 13th Army, which came in at the forefront of the early attack, then in the auxiliary direction, I think they will still remain silent." ”

"Comrade Marshal, why is this happening?" Malinen asked puzzledly: "According to my judgment, the German army obviously still has a lot of offensive potential, why did it suddenly stop attacking?" ”

"Comrade Chief of Staff, I don't know if you have noticed that from the beginning of the campaign, the German army has changed its previous way of fighting." Zhukov expressed his opinion to Malinin: "They changed the usual offensive tactics of the past, but imitated the usual tactics of our army: first clear our minefields, destroy anti-tank guns and break through our positions with the support of sappers and infantry, and then put the main forces of armored forces into the battlefield. In doing so, they will be able to ensure that their tanks will suffer fewer losses in the early stages of the war, and will be able to fully penetrate the depth of our defenses and expand their gains. ”

After waiting for Zhukov to finish speaking, Malinin asked tentatively: "Comrade Marshal, do you want to say that it is this tactic that the German army has successfully broken through the defense line of our army in the south of Kursk and smoothly advanced to the depth of the defense of Vatutin's headquarters. ”

"That's right, that's what I meant." Zhukov grinned and said, "However, the tactics used by Moder north of Kursk have had limited results. Don't look at them wedged into our defense line for five to ten kilometers in some places, but they are not capable of continuing to advance. I have to say that the fact that you were able to achieve such results has a lot to do with Rokossovsky's command. ”

After listening to Zhukov's words, Malinin couldn't help but glance at the room where Rokossovsky was, and said worriedly: "I just don't know when Comrade Commander will wake up." ”

……

……

While Zhukov and Malinin were discussing operational deployment in the outside room, Rokossovsky, who was lying in the back room, was too empty. He felt as if he was flying in the sky, condescending to see a wide plain, which thousands of Soviet and German tanks were rushing towards from two different directions.

The torrent of Soviet steel from the north consisted of thousands of tanks; The German tanks from the south, on the other hand, were much smaller, no more than five hundred at best. The two torrents of steel were rushing towards each other at the fastest speed they could reach.

It didn't take long for two torrents of steel to collide with everything, and the tanks on both sides opened fire at close range, instantly enveloping the entire battlefield in gunsmoke and fire. The billowing black smoke eclipsed the dazzling sunlight in the sky.

After hours of fierce fighting, the battle finally came to an end. The Germans had nearly 300 tanks, which became scrap metal that burned on the battlefield; However, the Soviet tanks, because their firepower and armor were far from being comparable to the German tanks, paid a huge price in this contest, losing more than 800 tanks.

Although the Soviet tanks suffered heavy losses, they were not able to stop the advance of the German armored forces, and the fascist steel torrent continued to rush along the plain to the north.

After the decisive battle between the Soviet and German tanks, Rokossovsky, who was lying on the bed, suddenly shook his whole body. The female military doctor Jianina, who was sitting on the edge of the bed, noticed his move, quickly held his hand, and shouted close to his ear: "Comrade commander, comrade commander, wake up, wake up!" ”

Rokossovsky, who was still in the air overlooking the battlefield, suddenly heard a voice from the sky, calling to him incessantly. He looked around, looking for the source of the sound. Finally, in the clouds, I saw the female military doctor I saw yesterday, waving at him above the white clouds, and shouting about his position.

Rokossovsky sat up suddenly, looked at the female military doctor standing beside him with a blank expression, and asked in a somewhat confused state: "You, aren't you the female military doctor Carnanna?" ”、

"Yes, yes," Seeing Rokossovsky suddenly wake up on her own, Carina was suddenly surprised and delighted, she nodded again and again and said: "Comrade commander, you remember right, I am Carnina, we met last night in the rest room of the medical staff. ”

"Why are you here?" Rokossovsky put his legs on the side of the bed, and while looking for his boots, he asked curiously: "This is the headquarters of the front, but not everyone can come in." ”

"Comrade Commander," Seeing the displeased expression on Rokossovsky's face, Carina hurriedly explained: "You have been unconscious since you fainted last night, and I was ordered to take care of you. ”

"What time is it?" Rokossovsky said as he raised his hand to look at his watch. Seeing that the pointer was already pointing to nine o'clock, he couldn't help but say anxiously: "Hell, how did I sleep for so long, it's nine o'clock in the morning, the Germans should be attacking our position." ”

"Comrade Commander, you are mistaken." Carinna reminded him: "It's not nine in the morning, it's nine in the evening. The Germans didn't seem to have attacked today, and I heard it all quiet outside. ”

"I'm going to go out and have a look." After Rokossovsky finished speaking, he was ready to get up and take a look outside. As soon as he stood up, he felt that his eyes were black, and countless stars were dangling in front of him.

Carinna hurriedly supported him and said nervously: "Comrade commander, your body has not fully recovered, rest for a while, I will go outside and call people in." ”

Rokossovsky nodded, sat down on the edge of the bed again, and said to Carannina: "Okay, Comrade Carnanna, I'll wait here, you go and invite all the commanders outside." ”

Zhukov and the others were sitting outside for dinner, when they suddenly saw Carinna hurrying out of the back room, and knew that something must have happened, so they quickly stopped and looked at Carinna with nervous eyes.

Carina rushed in front of Zhukov and said excitedly: "Comrade Marshal, Commander he is awake." ”

As soon as her words fell, Malinin and Terekin had already thrown the tableware in their hands on the table, got up and rushed into the back room. Zhukov shook his head with a smile, and after thanking Carinna, he also got up and walked into the back room.

After Zhukov entered the house, he saw Rokossovsky, who was surrounded by everyone, sitting on the edge of the bed, and hurriedly walked over and asked: "Comrade Rokossovsky, how are you feeling now?" ”

"I feel pretty good, but I'm still a little dizzy." Rokossovsky squeezed out a smile on his face and asked: "Comrade Marshal, why are you here?" ”

"As soon as you fainted last night, I rushed over from the Bryansk Front to take your place for the time being." Zhukov asked with concern: "How is it, can you start working?" ”

"I think it should be possible." Rokossovsky nervously asked Zhukov: "Comrade Marshal, I don't know how the battle is going today, did the Germans break through the line of defense of our army?" ”

"No, the Germans are honest today, obediently stay in their positions and do nothing." Zhukov said to Rokossovsky: "Before you wake up, we are studying what the Germans said about what a conspiracy there was, or whether their offensive forces were almost exhausted. ”

"Comrade Marshal," Rokossovsky, recalling that very real dream just now, said to Zhukov: "I think that the Germans have done nothing on the northern front, but on the contrary Manstein on the southern front, and we need to be vigilant against him. ”