Early the next morning, Rokossovsky woke up from his sleep feeling groggy. He wanted to sit up www.biquge.info but he felt sore, and he didn't have any strength at all.

The military doctor and head nurse, who were in charge of treating Rokossovsky, received a notice from the dean last night that he was going to give the general a comprehensive medical examination today, and if there were no problems, he was ready to be discharged from the hospital.

Unexpectedly, when the two walked into the ward with a smile and a smile, they unexpectedly found that General Rokossovsky, who was usually red and energetic, was lying on the bed sickly at the moment. The two of them were taken aback when they saw this situation, and the head nurse walked quickly to the bed, raised his hand and put the back of his hand on Rokossovsky's forehead, and the heat from his hand startled her: "Vajim, Comrade General is having a fever. ”

The military doctor Vajim hurriedly walked over, also raised his hand and touched Rokossovsky's forehead, felt a little hot, and hurriedly ordered the head nurse: "I'll check his body first, you go and call the dean!" ”

By the time the dean and commissar arrived, who had learned the news, Vajim had already finished his examination for Rokossovsky. The dean anxiously asked, "What's going on?" ”

Vajim shrugged his shoulders and said with some inexplicability: "Comrade Dean, I don't know what's going on, at least during the routine inspection the morning before yesterday, Comrade General's body recovered very well. But I don't know what's going on, but today I suddenly started a high fever, which looks a bit like pneumonia. ”

After listening to the introduction of the military doctor, the dean walked to the bed and leaned down and asked Rokossovsky: "Comrade General, I want to ask you a question, did you go to Red Square yesterday morning to participate in the military parade?" ”

Rokossovsky nodded and replied weakly: "Yes, I did go to the parade." ”

After listening to Rokossovsky's answer, the dean thought that he had figured out the truth about the onset of the disease, turned to the military doctor and said: "Vajim, the general stayed up all night the night before yesterday, and yesterday he blew cold wind for several hours on the viewing platform on Red Square. If you are a normal person, maybe this is nothing, but Comrade General's body has not yet recovered, which is why it causes a high fever, and what you have to do now is to find a way to reduce the fever first......"

Rokossovsky, who was lying on the bed, couldn't help but blush after hearing the dean's analysis, he understood in his heart that he stayed up late the night before, not to work overtime at the staff headquarters, but to talk to Borisova's family about her life all night; The cold wind that blew on the viewing platform for several hours during the day yesterday was true; After the parade, there was another breath in the underground headquarters. Together, these factors are not strange.

After the dean and the others left, the nurse gave Rokossovsky a fever-reducing injection, hung a bottle of glucose for him to infuse, and then said politely: "Comrade General, you have a good rest, I will come to replace you when the liquid is finished in a while." ”

Before a bottle of glucose was infused, an uninvited guest came, and Gurov, the military commissar of the Southwestern Front, walked into the ward and couldn't help but be taken aback when he saw Rokossovsky lying on the bed. He hurriedly came to the chair next to the bed and sat down, and asked in surprise: "Comrade Rokossovsky, I saw that you were fine yesterday, why did you become like this today?" ”

Rokossovsky smiled bitterly and replied: "My injuries have not healed in the first place, and the cold wind blew on the viewing platform yesterday, so I suddenly became ill. He thought that he and Gurov were not familiar with each other, and the other party must have nothing to do without going to the Three Treasures Palace, so he asked, "Comrade Military Commissar, you came to see me, is there anything important?" ”

"That's right, Comrade Rokossovsky." Gurov explained to Rokossovsky: "Yesterday afternoon, the main members of our command of the Southwestern Front, held an extraordinary meeting and decided to appoint you deputy commander of the Front, which was reported to the Supreme High Command. An hour earlier, we had received a call from the Supreme Commander-in-Chief himself, who had already agreed to the request of Marshal Timoshenko. ”

Rokossovsky was worried that Timoshenko would let him be his deputy, so he found the dean who was in a hurry to go through the discharge procedures, who knew that people were not as good as heaven, and this position really fell on his head. But now that Stalin has nodded his head at this, it may not be so easy for him to refuse.

"Comrade Military Commissar, I would like to ask" Rokossovsky, after being silent for a while, asked in a somewhat hoarse voice: "When will the Kharkov offensive begin?" ”

In response to Rokossovsky's question, Gurov hesitated for a moment, and finally said vaguely: "In less than half a month, our two fronts will launch an offensive in the Kharkov region." However, looking at your current body, it is estimated that it is difficult to be qualified for this position. ”

Rokossovsky did not expect Gusev to say such a thing, and hurriedly said: "Comrade Military Commissar, the superiors have entrusted me with a heavy responsibility, which is a trust in me. However, if you look at my current body, I am really worried that I am not up to this position. Do you think you should go back and discuss with Marshal Timoshenko and change another commander to this position. ”

Gusev glanced at Rokossovsky, who was lying on the hospital bed, with a complicated expression, nodded slowly, and said with difficulty: "Don't worry, Comrade Rokossovsky, I will convey your meaning to Marshal Timoshenko." ”

The two talked a few more words, and Gusev got up to take his leave.

Seeing Gusev's figure disappear at the door of the room, Rokossovsky suddenly felt relaxed, if he hadn't suddenly become ill, he might have been taken up by the Southwestern Front today. Although Timoshenko was a brave and warlike commander during the civil war, his strategic and tactical thinking was outdated, and it was doomed for him to command this offensive campaign. If he can really remove himself from the post of deputy commander of the front army because of illness, it can be regarded as a blessing in disguise, at least he doesn't have to think about whether he will be killed or captured after the disastrous defeat of the army.

At noon, Vasilevsky, who learned that Rokossovsky was ill, hurried to the hospital to visit him. Seeing Rokossovsky on the hospital bed, he couldn't help but sigh: "Koschika, you are really unlucky. ”

Rokossovsky looked at him blankly and asked: "Comrade Acting Chief of the General Staff, what happened?" ”

"Originally, Comrade Stalin had already appointed you deputy commander of the Southwestern Front, but before the official appointment was issued, you fell ill." Vasilevsky said with regret: "Now Comrade Stalin has reappointed another commander to this post. ”

Hearing that he had been removed from the post of deputy commander of the Front, Rokossovsky could not help but feel a burst of ecstasy in his heart. But in front of Vasilevsky, he still pretended to be regretful and said: "It's a pity." I lay in the hospital for so long, just to return to the front line as soon as possible to fight the fascist invaders, but this injury recurred, which is really uncomfortable. ”

Vasilevsky didn't expect Rokossovsky to say the opposite, and raised his hand to pat him on the shoulder, comforting him and saying: "Koschika, you are well recuperated." Commanders with rich combat experience are in dire need of all battlefields these days, and when your injuries are healed, I think the Supreme Commander himself will arrange an ideal place for you to go. ”

Rokossovsky had not been in the General Staff Headquarters for a short time, and naturally knew that under the current situation, the most stable and easiest place to make meritorious contributions was undoubtedly the area where his 16th Army was located, so he made a request to Vasilevsky: "Comrade Acting Chief of the General Staff, if my wounds have healed, I hope that my superiors will let me return to my own troops. ”

"All right, Koschika." In response to Rokossovsky's request, Vasilevsky agreed without hesitation: "At present, our army and the Germans are in a tug-of-war in the Zhizdra region, and it is estimated that only if you go back can this stalemate be broken." Don't worry, I will convey your request to Comrade Stalin. ”

After leaving the ward, Vasilevsky went straight to the dean's office. After learning about Rokossovsky's condition, he shook the dean's hand and said: "Comrade dean, I beg you, you must restore General Rokossovsky to health as soon as possible, the front needs him, and our commanders and fighters need him!" Do you understand? ”

"Understood, Comrade General." The dean swore that "in a week at most, his injuries will heal, and he will be able to reunite on the battlefield." ”