Although Lobachev did not mention what Timoshenko said on the phone, Rokossovsky knew very well that he must have been severely reprimanded by Timoshenko, otherwise he would not have been so excited that his face would have turned red when he answered the phone. Pen & Fun & Pavilion www.biquge.info

Rokossovsky stepped forward and shook Lobachev's hand and whispered: "Thank you, thank you, Comrade Military Commissar." ”

Lobachev laughed a few times and said disapprehantly: "Comrade commander, you are too polite, I am your political commissar, and there is something that should be shared for you." By the way, don't talk about this anymore, about the construction of fortifications behind the 108th Infantry Division, I think that the fighters under Colonel Orlov alone are not enough, we should find a way to help them. ”

"That's right, you're right." Rokossovsky's eyes, glancing at the map, continued: "At the moment Colonel Lidyukov's troops are the closest to there, let the leading fighters go to Orlov's aid. ”

After saying this, seeing that Kazakov was still standing next to him with a serious expression, he beckoned to him and said to him: "Comrade Artillery Chief, since the superiors have agreed to our new tactics in battle, the defensive areas of many troops need to be adjusted. And your artillery positions are the first to be adjusted, and I don't like our artillery, captured by the Germans who rushed across the river. ”

"Comrade commander," said Kazakov, pointing to a position on the map, "I thought about it, to retreat the current artillery positions two to three kilometers back, to hide the artillery in the forest. When the infantry needed us to provide them with artillery support, they pushed the artillery out of the forest and established new artillery positions on the edge of the forest. As soon as the shelling was over, we immediately moved into the forest, so that we could avoid German air strikes and avoid retaliatory shelling by the enemy. ”

"Comrade Chief of Artillery, you are very thoughtful." After Rokossovsky waited for Kazakov to finish speaking, he nodded slowly and said approvingly: "In this way, it will be difficult for the enemy to search for our artillery positions, and we can always give them unexpected blows in unexpected directions." ”

While Rokossovsky was discussing artillery with Kazakov, Lobachev picked up the phone and made a phone call to Borisova in Vyazma. When he heard Borisova's familiar voice on the phone, Lobachev smiled and said: "Is it Comrade Borisova?" I'm Lobachev and I have something I want to talk to you about. ”

Borisova, who was studying the situation with Travkin in the command headquarters, heard that the call was from Lobachev, quickly got up from her seat, and said respectfully: "Hello, Comrade Military Commissar, I am Borisova. Do you have any instructions? ”

"Do you remember Leda?" Lobachev said in a kind tone, he was afraid that Borisova would not be able to remember who it was in a hurry, and he was good at reminding: "It is the female soldier you personally brought and sent." ”

"Remember," in fact, even if Lobachev didn't say anything, Borisova remembered that she was taken to the medical station by herself, so she quickly asked: "Is something wrong with her?" ”

"That's not true, she followed the ambulance convoy transporting the wounded and went back to the rear today." Lobachev continued: "Before she left, she made a request to us. She said that her mother and children lived in a town not far north of the Willang station, and that she feared that the Germans would occupy it, so she begged the comrade commander to move her family from the town to the rear at the right time. ”

"So that's what happened." After Borisova figured out what was going on, she thought about it, and then said to Lobachev: "Comrade Military Commissar, I have been busy with work for the past two days, so I can't take a break for the time being. Do you think this is good, I will personally go to the town the day after tomorrow and pick up Lida's mother and children? ”

"Okay, the day after tomorrow will be the day after tomorrow, I think two days late, there should be no problem." When Lobachev was about to hang up the phone, he suddenly remembered that he had not yet told Borisova the names of Lida's mother and child, and quickly added: "By the way, I almost forgot." Lida's mother's name is Katerina, and her son's name is Kurik, who has just turned two years old. ”

"I remember it all, Comrade Military Commissar." Borisova quickly wrote down the two names Lobachev on a piece of paper, and then replied: "I will definitely move them safely to the rear." ”

Two days later, Borisova drove with a driver to the town that Lobachev was talking about. As soon as you enter the town, you can see the buildings on both sides of the road, and it is difficult to see the whole thing, either by enemy fire or by bombs. Seeing this situation, the driver gritted his back molars and said viciously: "These damn fascist bandits, look what good things they have done?" ”

Borisova turned her head to look at the indignant driver, and then said unhurriedly: "Don't worry, comrade driver, sooner or later we will ask the Germans to repay this blood debt." ”

There were no young men in the town, and they should have gone to join the regular army or the guerrillas, and the rest were old people and children. Seeing an old lady standing on the side of the road, Borisova hurriedly asked the driver to stop, then went down and asked the old lady: "Comrade women, do you know where Katerina's house is?" ”

"Katerina?" After the other party repeated the name, he shook his head blankly and said, "I don't know, I've never heard of this name." ”

The driver sitting in the car heard the old lady's answer and immediately urged Borisova: "Comrade Borisova, since she doesn't know, then let's go ahead and ask." ”

Borisova was not willing to get into the car like this, and continued to ask the old lady: "Maybe she is in the town, and others call her by another name." She has a daughter, who is now in the army, and a grandson, named Kurik, who is two years old this year......"

Before she could finish speaking, the old lady said with a look of sudden realization: "So you are talking about Lida's mother!" ”

"Yes, yes, that's Leda's mother!" When Borisova heard the other party say Lida's name, she knew that the old lady must know where Lida's house was, and hurriedly asked, "Do you know where their house is?" ”

The old lady nodded vigorously, pointed to the front and said, "You go along this road, turn to the second junction, and then drive fifty meters ahead, and her house is on the left side of the road." When you get there, ask anyone, and everybody knows. ”

After thanking the old lady, Borisova got back into the jeep, turned around and told the driver: "Drive!" (To be continued.) )