Although Rokossovsky no longer cared which unit he was in command, he still felt physically and mentally exhausted. After hastily finishing dinner, he hung a "Do Not Disturb" sign at the door, and lay on the bed to dream of Zhou Gong.

Early the next morning, I heard someone knocking on the door outside. He walked barefoot to the door, and when he opened it, he saw a major standing in the doorway with his back straight. Seeing Rokossovsky appear at the door, the major hurriedly raised his hand and saluted, reporting: "Comrade Marshal, I was ordered to take you to the airport, and the car is already waiting downstairs. ”

Rokossovsky raised his hand and looked at his watch, and saw that it was already seven o'clock in the morning, but it was still dark outside the window. He said to the major: "Comrade Major, please wait for me downstairs for a while, and I will go down when I am dressed." ”

The Major did not speak, but raised his hand in a salute, then turned and strode away.

Rokossovsky changed his clothes, washed up briefly, and without even eating breakfast, he went downstairs and rushed to the airport.

A Douglas airliner and two fighter jets were parked on the runway, and the sedan sent Rokossovsky directly to the plane. As soon as he got out of the car, a pilot wearing a flight cap came up to him and saluted: "Comrade Marshal, welcome to board!" ”

At the door of the cabin, a young female soldier stood, and when she saw Rokossovsky boarding the plane, she raised her hand and saluted, and then said respectfully: "Comrade Marshal, please come with me!" ”

Rokossovsky was very surprised to see that there was a "flight attendant" in military uniform on this passenger plane, and he had taken a lot of planes, and it was the first time he had encountered such a situation.

There were several colonel-level officers in the cabin, and when they saw the female soldier guiding Rokossovsky into the cabin, they hurriedly got up from their seats and raised their hands to salute.

After Rokossovsky sat down, the female soldier respectfully asked: "Comrade Marshal, what do you need?" ”

"I went out in the morning and I haven't eaten yet." Rokossovsky was a little embarrassed and said, "Can you get me something to eat?" ”

After a short time, the female soldier came with a tray and bent down and placed the teapot, teacup, saucer with sugar cubes, plate with slices of bread, and special dried sausages on the coffee table in front of Rokossovsky. After the things were arranged, the female soldier stood up straight, took a step back, and said respectfully: "Comrade Marshal, please use it slowly!" If there is anything else you need, please let me know and I will prepare it for you immediately. ”

"Comrade warrior," Rokossovsky, after putting two sugar cubes into the teacup, asked the female soldier with a smile: "When will our plane take off?" ”

The female soldier quickly glanced out the window and replied, "It may be a little longer, Marshal Zhukov has not yet arrived." ”

Marshal Zhukov?! Rokossovsky's smile froze on his face when he heard the name. The female soldier did not seem to notice his strangeness, and continued: "We have been notified at short notice that Marshal Zhukov is flying to Warsaw today. ”

"Okay, I got it." Rokossovsky said with some tears and laughter: "You go and get busy first!" ”

Half an hour later, Zhukov walked into the cabin with two generals. Seeing Rokossovsky sitting inside, he was stunned for a moment, then a smile appeared on his face, and he stretched out his hand to him from afar: "Hello, Comrade Rokossovsky! ”

Although Rokossovsky's heart was still a little pimple, he saw that Zhukov had already taken the initiative to stretch out his hand to him, and if he sat still any longer, it would be a bit too much, so he quickly got up, took two steps forward, raised his hand and saluted first, and then stretched out his hands to hold Zhukov's outstretched hand.

After the two of them were seated, the captain immediately came over and asked: "Comrade Marshal, can the plane take off?" Seeing Zhukov nodding in permission, he turned around and walked back to the cockpit.

On the way to Warsaw, Zhukov hesitated for a while, and finally said to Rokossovsky: "Koschika, I know that this appointment is very sudden for you, but this is the final decision made by the Supreme Commander himself, and no one can change his mind. ”

Rokossovsky raised his hand and patted the back of Zhukov's hand twice, and said understandingly: "Comrade Marshal, you don't have to feel guilty, I have already figured out this matter." I am a Bolshevik, just a brick, where it needs to be moved. ”

Rokossovsky's words made Zhukov's hanging heart fall back into his stomach, because as long as the other side made a commitment to himself, then it would be extremely easy to take over the command of the 1st Belorussian Front.

The headquarters of the Front in Warsaw did not receive any comrades who were about to change commanders, so when they saw Rokossovsky and Zhukov walking side by side into the headquarters, they did not pay enough attention, and they even thought that Zhukov was again acting as a representative of the base camp this time to coordinate the coordinated operations between the front and friendly forces.

"Comrades commanders," Rokossovsky shouted this title, feeling that it was not accurate enough, and hurriedly added: "Officers above the rank of colonel, all come to me, I have something important to announce." ”

Maksimenko, who was busy with the intercom, saw that Zhukov had returned with Rokossovsky, and thought to himself: Could it be that Marshal Zhukov came here to announce the merger of the First and Second Fronts? There were many commanders who thought the same way as him, and everyone put down their work and poured around Rokossovsky, waiting for him to announce the good news that everyone had been waiting for for a long time.

"Comrades," Rokossovsky said slowly, glancing at those present, struggling to control his emotions, "I announce to you a new appointment, and from now on, Marshal Zhukov will succeed me as commander of the 1st Belorussian Front. ”

Rokossovsky's words were like sprinkling a handful of salt in a hot pan and suddenly exploded. Except for a few high-ranking front army leaders, the rest of the colonel-level officers were all talking: "What did Comrade Commander just say? Is it true that Marshal Zhukov will replace him? ”

"Hell, what the hell is going on, why change the commander of the front army at such a time?"

…………

"Be quiet, comrades commanders, please be quiet." Seeing that the scene was out of control, Ma Lining hurriedly raised his hands above his head and said loudly: "Don't forget your identity, don't talk anymore." When silence returned to the room, he looked at Rokossovsky and asked, "Comrade commander, how did the base camp arrange your whereabouts?" ”

In response to Malinin's question, Rokossovsky tried to squeeze a smile on his face and said: "The base camp has appointed Marshal Zhukov to replace me, and I will be transferred to the post of commander of the Second Front. ”

Hearing that Rokossovsky was not hidden, Malinin finally breathed a sigh of relief in his heart, and then he asked: "Are you going to take those people with you to the new unit?" When he said this, he thought to himself: If the commander needs someone to go with him to a new unit, I will be the first to sign up.

However, Rokossovsky shook his head and said: "Comrade commanders, I have already told the Supreme Commander himself that in order to ensure the stability of the troops of the Front, I will not bring any comrades with me to the new unit for this personnel transfer. I hope that you will actively cooperate with Marshal Zhukov and carry out all the work of the front. Do you understand? ”

When he asked, there was silence in the room, and no one spoke. Seeing everyone's reaction, he knew in his heart that everyone was avenging him, and he couldn't help but warm his heart. But in order not to make Zhukov unable to step down, he added: "This is the last order I gave before leaving this united fighting collective, can you obey it?" ”

"Yes!" This time, all the commanders replied in unison: "We will definitely actively cooperate with the new commander and carry out all our daily work." ”

After listening to everyone's statements, Rokossovsky nodded with satisfaction, and then turned sideways and said to Zhukov: "Comrade Marshal, let's go through the handover formalities now." ”