After solving the problem of transporting the troops' cars, Tang Shaohua began to think about how to use the fortified area outside Zhytomyr. The fortifications were not yet completed, and if they were to be turned into an important defensive area against German attacks, they would have to be completed before the outbreak of war.

Although Tang Shaohua knew that after the outbreak of war, it would be Fedyuninsky's infantry corps that would take over the defense, he still carefully inspected the permanent and temporary fire points, and randomly checked the construction quality of individual fortifications. In order not to leave Fedyuninsky with a half-baked project, in addition to urging the construction battalion to speed up the construction, he also sent a notice to all the factories in the city in the name of the garrison command, asking the workers to use their spare time after work to participate in voluntary labor.

After Tang Shaohua's order was issued, every evening, thousands of workers led by factory leaders appeared in the fortified areas outside the city to help the engineers build fortifications.

Seeing the hot scene in the fortified area, the political deputy commander Kamenev was not happy, he thought that what Rokossovsky was doing at the moment was meaningless, so he decided to talk to him well.

He went outside the office, and through the open door, he saw Rokossovsky sitting at his desk reviewing documents. He stretched out his hand to stop the officer who wanted to go to the briefing, walked straight in, came to the table and said in a low voice: "Comrade General, I think it is necessary to have a good talk with you. ”

Tang Shaohua, who was busy, didn't notice Kamenev's arrival, and suddenly heard someone talking in the house, and couldn't help but be taken aback. When he looked up and saw that it was Kamenev, he nodded: "Please speak, Comrade Deputy Political Commander." As he spoke, he gestured to an empty chair next to him.

"Comrade General, I want to ask you." Kamenev sat on the chair that Tang Shaohua pointed out to him, and asked in a puzzled tone: "Why do you want workers to participate in the construction of national defense fortifications in the form of voluntary labor?" ”

Tang Shaohua glanced at him strangely, then lowered his head, continued to look at the documents in front of him, and replied angrily: "The national defense fortifications should have been completed a month ago, and if we don't increase the number of people, I don't know when it will be completed." You also know that this kind of work is not enough to be done by the army, so if you let the factories send workers to participate in the voluntary labor, you can complete the project in the fortified area as soon as possible. ”

"But, Comrade Commander," said Kamenev, a little angrily, "you know in your heart, like me, that this fortification is not at all useful. Our army is the most offensive of all, but you are now instilling in them the false idea of passive defense by building fortifications. Moreover, the construction of fortifications on such a large scale would cause unnecessary panic among the citizens. ”

When Tang Shaohua heard Kamenev say this, he pushed aside the document he was looking at, looked up at Kamenev opposite him with dissatisfaction, and asked coldly: "Comrade Political Deputy Commander, what do you want to say?" ”

"The project should be stopped and this meaningless voluntary labor of the workers should be ended." Kamenev said eloquently: "Even if war breaks out, the enemy can only be defended, and we will always be the attacking side." ”

Tang Shaohua looked at the stubborn political cadre in front of him, and his brain quickly thought about what method to use to persuade him. After a long time, he spoke: "Comrade Political Deputy Commander, if war breaks out, we have a complete defense fortification outside the city, can the residents of the city be psychologically more down-to-earth......

"Comrade General." Before Tang Shaohua finished speaking, he was interrupted by Kamenev impatiently: "If I hadn't known you very early and knew that you were a battle-hardened general, then I would have thought that you were panicking." After last month's exercise, I noticed that you had become a little abnormal, especially since our army was transferred to the command of the Fifth Army, and your recent performance in a series of activities has been even more similar to that of the previous Comrade Rokossovsky......"

"Enough, Comrade Kamenev." When Tang Shaohua heard this, he interrupted Kamenev's words with some weakness, and said condescendingly in the tone of a leader: "You don't need to say it, I am the commander of the Ninth Mechanized Army and the commander of the garrison of Zhytomyr, and I have the final say on everything here." ”

"Since you can't listen to me, Comrade Rokossovsky." Kamenev shrugged his shoulders and continued to unceremoniously express his opinion: "Then I will react to the army group and the military district about this. With that, he raised his hand and gave a military salute, turned and walked out of the office.

As soon as Kamenev walked out of the room, before Tang Shaohua came to his senses, Colonel Vnukov, the deputy commander of technology, walked in again.

"Is there anything wrong, Colonel Vnukov?" Although the conversation with Kamenev just now was very unpleasant, Tang Shaohua tried to squeeze out a smile on his face when he talked to this deputy.

Colonel Vnukov said with some hesitation: "Comrade commander, I came to you, it is an important matter. ”

"Comrade Colonel, if there is anything, please tell me." As he spoke, Tang Shaohua stretched out his hand and pointed to the chair that Kamenev had just sat on, and said politely, "Please take a seat!" ”

After Vnukov sat down, he hurriedly said: "Comrade commander, after these few days of training, I found that a lot of the technical equipment used by the instructor has been damaged, and many engines have exceeded their service life. I suggest that the use of tanks should be restricted for training until we are equipped with new combat technical equipment, because I am afraid that if we continue to practice like this, the tank crews may not have any tanks to use when the battle starts. ”

Regarding Vnukov's worries, Tang Shaohua, who had long been aware of it, said with a smile: "Comrade Colonel, don't worry, you should continue to let the troops train as usual, or it won't be long before the superiors will replenish us with new tanks." ”

"Comrade Commander, is this true?" Although Tang Shaohua nodded in affirmation, Fnukov's eyebrows rose, and he still asked uneasily: "But why didn't I hear any movement at all?" ”

Regarding Vnukov's question, Tang Shaohua said without blushing: "Didn't Colonel Bagramyan, the chief of operations of the Military District, come to me a few days ago? It was he who told me privately that by mid-July we would be replenished with at least 50 new tanks. So you can rest assured that the troops will be trained, and those old tanks will be reimbursed, just in time to replace all the troops with new tanks. ”

After hearing Tang Shaohua's words, a happy smile immediately appeared on Vnukov's face, he got up from his seat and said loudly: "Comrade commander, since this is the case, then I will immediately go back and revise the new training plan." ”

"Wait a minute, Comrade Colonel." Seeing that the anxious Vnukov turned around and was about to leave, Tang Shaohua hurriedly stopped him: "The superiors want to replenish us with new equipment, remember to keep it secret, don't tell anyone except you and me, not even the political deputy commander and chief of staff." ”

"Understood, Comrade Commander." Vnukov assured Tang Shaohua: "Except for you and me, I will never let a third person know about this matter." ”