At this time, the telephone rang, and Rokossovsky, thinking that Lieutenant Colonel Kavilin had called to report the results of the battle, snatched the microphone from the hand of the communications soldier, and whispered to his ear: "Hey, is it Lieutenant Colonel Kavelin?" I'm Rokossovsky. ”

"Comrade Commander, I'm Kalinin." The hoarse voice of division commander Kalinin came from the earpiece, and from his voice, impatience and anger could be heard: "I have something important to report to you!" ”

"What's the matter?" Although he did not hear a battle in the direction of the city, Rokossovsky hurriedly asked what was going on.

"Five minutes ago, there was a train loaded with supplies that passed through the defense zone of our division." Kalinin reported: "The trucks were loaded with tractors, combine harvesters and seeders to be transported to the Lublin region. ”

"What, the destination of the train is Lublin?!" After listening to Kalinin's report, Rokossovsky could not help but ask in surprise: "Isn't that the territory of the Germans?" Colonel, why didn't you stop the train? ”

"Comrade Commander," Kalinin said in a hoarse voice, "do you think I don't want to intercept the train?" They took out a document from the State Planning Commission stating that according to the rules, no one had the right to stop the train until they reached their destination. I have no choice but to let them go! ”

"Bastard, you bastard!" Rokossovsky scolded Kalinin for his inflexibility and stubbornness: "Don't you know that if you drive further west, you will meet the Germans?" It's war, not peacetime, and the Germans are our enemies, so how can they still send supplies to them as originally planned? ”

"What's going on?" Vashukin, who was next to him, heard Rokossovsky getting angry, hurriedly walked over and asked with concern: "What happened?" ”

Rokossovsky hurriedly repeated the situation to Vashukin, and after listening to it, Vashukin took the microphone in Rokossovsky's hand with a blue face and ordered Kalinin simply and clearly: "Comrade Colonel, I order you to immediately send someone to chase the train back." If the train driver doesn't cooperate," he paused, pondering for a moment, and then said decisively, "Then I will allow you to take special measures!" Well, time is pressing, Comrade Colonel, let's act immediately. ”

Rokossovsky walked to the door of the observation post and shouted loudly outside: "Captain Grisa, Captain Grisa, where are you?" ”

With his shout, Grissa, wearing a steel helmet and carrying a submachine gun, appeared at the door, and after raising his hand to salute, he asked in a loud voice: "Comrade commander, what instructions do you have?" ”

"Captain, you immediately take a few men and drive along the railroad to chase a train that has just passed from Royscher." Rokossovsky briefly assigned the task to Grissa: "After intercepting them, I will give you permission to use all means to get the train driver to drive the car back." Do you understand? ”

Grissa asked tentatively, "Can you use all means?" Comrade commander, do you mean that if necessary, it is even possible to shoot and threaten them? ”

Rokossovsky said in his heart: if necessary, you can even kill the stubborn driver and find a way to get the train back. But he still said seriously: "That's right, Comrade Captain." Although we do not know much about the situation in the west, we can guess that there must have been Germans everywhere in that direction. For the personal safety of the train drivers, and for the sake of preventing the precious supplies of our country from falling into the hands of the Germans, I order you to chase the train back. ”

After clarifying his mission, Grissa stood up and replied loudly: "Yes, I promise to complete the mission!" ”

After Grisha left, Rokossovsky explained to Vashukin: "Comrade Military Commissar, Captain Grissa was sent to be on the safe side. As long as the train can be recovered, weapons, ammunition and various supplies can be brought from Zhytomyr. ”

Vashukin stared at Rokossovsky for a moment, then nodded and said: "You have a point, if there is a train to help transport weapons, ammunition and provisions, I think you can quickly push the Germans back." ”

As soon as he finished speaking, he heard the phone ring again. Rokossovsky couldn't help frowning, and said in his heart Why did Kalinin call again, couldn't he even complete the small tasks assigned by his superiors?

But when I picked up the phone, I heard the voice of Lieutenant Colonel Carveilin. The other party respectfully asked: "Comrade commander, we have captured more than 40 German prisoners, and I would like to ask you what to do with them?" ”

Rokossovsky raised his left hand and straightened the large-brimmed hat on his head, and asked coldly: "What do you want to do with them?"

Kaverin did not hear what Rokossovsky said, and hurriedly replied: "Comrade commander, after all, this is the first batch of prisoners we have captured, and we should send someone to Kyiv so that everyone can see the results we have achieved." ”

Rokossovsky, who has now melted Tang Shaohua's memory, is a very easy person to get along with, as long as he feels that his subordinates are reasonable, he will readily adopt the other party's opinion. However, this time, when he heard the obviously reasonable arguments of his subordinates, Rokossovsky fell silent, and after a while, he said coldly: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, have you forgotten the women, children and old people who died in the German bombardment that the troops saw when they passed through Kivatis? Do we need to teach them any benevolence, righteousness and morality about this two-legged beast? ”

A few rhetorical questions made Kaverin understand what Rokossovsky meant, he lowered his head and thought about it, and then said decisively: "Comrade commander, I understand, then convey your words to the commanders at all levels in the regiment!" At the same time, tell them that in today's ambush battle, all the German officers and soldiers who entered the ambush circle were killed or killed, and not a single one was alive! ”

Hearing Kaverin say this, a smile appeared on Rokossovsky's face, he nodded, and said approvingly: "That's right, Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, just convey my meaning to the commanders at all levels." After speaking, he suddenly changed the topic and asked, "Did your regiment suffer heavy casualties in the battle?" ”

Kaverin was silent for a moment, and then reported: "135 people were killed and 247 wounded, that is, after this ambush was fought, we almost reimbursed a battalion." ”

Rokossovsky thought to himself: in the case of an ambush on the dominant terrain, the casualties of the troops were close to four hundred, which was really unacceptable. Although the battle was won, the casualties were far beyond his imagination. But it's okay in this way, those commanders and fighters who witnessed the sacrifice of Pao Ze will naturally resolutely carry it out after receiving the order they have just given.

When Maslov heard Rokossovsky's hint to Kavelin, he couldn't help but want to remind him that the captured German prisoners should be locked up for the time being, and they should be dealt with after consulting their superiors. Just as he was about to speak, he found that Vashukin, who was standing on the side, not only did not express any opinion after hearing what Rokossovsky said, but turned around and walked out of the observation post. Seeing this move by Vashukin, Maslov naturally understood that the military commissar had adopted a tacit attitude towards Rokossovsky's decision, and it was very inappropriate for him to contradict his superiors at this time, so he also kept silent with interest.

When Rokossovsky finished making the call, Vashukin suddenly walked in from outside and said to him with a serious expression: "Comrade Rokossovsky, I suddenly remembered an important matter, and I need your fear of the troops to cooperate. ”

Rokossovsky now has a very good relationship with Vashukin, so hearing him say this, he immediately asked politely: "Comrade member of the Military Committee, I don't know what is going on?" ”

"I was thinking that because the war broke out so suddenly and unexpectedly, the trains carrying supplies to Germany would continue to come from the east, pass through here and then go to the Lublin region." "So I intend for you to send troops to set up roadblocks to block these trains bound for Germany," said Vashukin with careful consideration. ”

"You are right, Comrade Military Commissar." After flattering Vashukin, Rokossovsky continued: "I immediately arranged for troops to set up barricades on the railway to intercept all these trains heading west. After saying that, he turned around and ordered the signal corps, "Immediately connect me to Colonel Kalinin's command." ”