After half a month of purging, the remnants of the German army hidden in villages or settlements were cleared one by one by a small force sent by Rokossovsky. www.biquge.info By the end of February, the village of Popkovo had become an isolated German stronghold, and the time for the offensive had finally arrived.

After reporting to Rokossovsky on the results of the battles reported by the troops, Malinin asked tentatively: "Comrade commander, the enemy in our defense zone has almost been cleared, is it time to launch an attack on the village of Popkovo?" ”

"Do we have a large number of tanks and artillery?" Rokossovsky did not immediately answer Malinin, but asked Kazakov and Orel, who were standing aside.

"At the moment there are seven artillery regiments that can be put into battle," said Kazakov with a happy face, "and each artillery has five bases, and there should be no problem in fighting a medium-sized offensive battle." ”

"We have been replenished with about fifty tanks during this time, half of which are the latest T-34s," Orel also said with a smile: "The 146th tank brigade that was replenished to us by the superiors arrived yesterday evening." After a short period of maintenance, they are ready to go into battle. ”

"Well, that's good." After listening to the reports of the two subordinates, Rokossovsky nodded with a smile and said with satisfaction: "Now that we are strong and strong, I think it should not be difficult to take the village of Popkovo." Alright, everyone sit down, let's make an offensive plan. ”

Just as several people were considering how to use artillery fire and which troops to send to take the lead attack, the telephone hanging on a nearby pillar rang. Lobachev, who was idle, quickly stood up, took off his headphones, and said loudly: "I'm Lobachev, where are you?" ”

"Comrade Military Commissar," the officer who called hurriedly reported to Lobachev: "there is a convoy from Moscow that is going into the city, can you let them in?" ”

"What do they do?" Lobachev asked alarmedly.

"Hello, Comrade Military Commissar, I'm Borisova." A familiar voice suddenly came from the earpiece: "Do you remember me?" ”

"Remember," I heard that Borisova, who had an affair with Rokossovsky, came, Lobachev couldn't help but nervously glance at Rokossovsky, who was studying the battle plan with several subordinates, and saw that he didn't look at him at all, so he lowered his voice and asked: "What are you doing here?" ”

"Comrade Military Commissar, I am now the head of the Leningrad District of Moscow, and I am bringing the troops of the condolence regiment to offer condolences." Borisova explained to Lobachev on the phone: "Just look at the commanders and fighters of the 11th Guards Division. ”

"Commanders and fighters of the 11th Guards Division?" When Lobachev heard this, he asked with some puzzlement: "Why did you just come to visit them?" ”

"Because almost all the commanders and fighters of this division are from factories or enterprises in the Leningrad District." Borisova smiled on the phone and said: "They are our soldiers, and we are ordered to comfort them." ”

"They are stationed outside the city," Lobachev's mind spun rapidly, considering whether Borisova and Rokossovsky should be allowed to meet. But soon he made a decision: "It is too dangerous for you to go outside the city, there is a possibility that you will be shelled by the enemy on the way, so you better bring someone to the headquarters, and I will inform General Chernyshev to come and meet you." ”

"Thank you, Comrade Military Commissar." Borisova said very cheerfully: "Then I will take someone to the headquarters of the army group to find you." ”

When Lobachev put down the phone, Rokossovsky raised his head and asked casually: "Comrade Military Commissar, is there another condolence group?" ”

"That's right," Lobachev replied, nodding, "a condolence group from the Leningrad district of Moscow." ”

"Do they have any connection with General Chernyshev?" Rokossovsky asked, somewhat puzzled: "I just heard you mention him." ”

"The 11th Guards Division of General Chernyshov, which turned out to be the 18th Division of the Militia, these fighters came from factories and enterprises in the Leningrad District." Lobachev explained with a smile: "It is equivalent to saying that today it is the soldiers from my hometown who have come to visit us. ”

"Comrade Military Commissar, you are doing the right thing." Rokossovsky said very casually: "Although our troops control Sushnych and the surrounding areas, the enemy's long-range artillery fire will occasionally bombard the city, and it is quite right for them to come here to meet General Chernyshov for the safety of the condolence group." ”

Lobachev saw that Malinin and the others were holding the plan they had made, and after walking to the side, he lowered his voice and said to Rokossovsky: "I have one more thing to tell you, you have to be mentally prepared. Borisova is coming? ”

Hearing this familiar name, Rokossovsky couldn't help but feel shocked, grabbed Lobachev's shoulders, and nervously asked: "Why is she here, shouldn't she still be in the hospital?" ”

"Clearly, her injuries have healed." Lobachev shrugged his shoulders and continued: "And she is now the head of the Leningrad District, and the delegation that came to comfort the 11th Guards Division was led by her. ”

Lobachev saw that Rokossovsky, after hearing this, suddenly walked back and forth with his hands behind his back like a lion in a cage, and kindly suggested: "If you don't want to see her, you can leave now." When she asked, I said you went to the front to inspect it. ”

"No, no." Rokossovsky stopped and decisively rejected Lobachev's proposal: "Since she brought a condolence group, then she definitely wants to see me, and she can't hide." I think I'd better stay here. With that, he walked to the table, picked up the phone on the table, and called the headquarters of the 11th Guards Division.

When he heard that the person who answered the phone was Chernyshov, he immediately ordered: "Hey, General Chernyshov, you immediately bring a few regiment commanders to the headquarters of the army group, there is a condolence group from the Leningrad district of Moscow, which is specially here to comfort you. For their safety, I have arranged the place where you will meet at the headquarters of the army group. Don't you have any comments? ”

"No, no, that's as it should be." When Chernyshov heard that a condolence group from the city had come to comfort the troops, he was overjoyed and said repeatedly: "It's not safe on the way to the outside of the city, so let them stay at the headquarters, and I'll take people over immediately." ”

Borisova came sooner than expected, but when she appeared at the door, the entire command was silent. Most of the conductors in the room knew the story between Rokossovsky and Borisova, so everyone stood still, their eyes swept over both of them.

"What are you all doing standing here?" Rokossovsky saw that everyone was looking at him and Borisova as strange animals, and suddenly became angry and shouted loudly: "Have you finished your work?" ”

Seeing that the commander was angry, the staff officers and signal soldiers, who had been standing there watching the bustle, continued to be nervously busy. Rokossovsky walked up to Borisova and asked with a smile: "Are you here?" ”

"I'm coming!"

"Don't stand at the door, please come in!" Rokossovsky was somewhat hasty and beckoned Borisova to come in and sit down.

Borisova walked into the command headquarters, followed by a burly middle-aged man in civilian military clothes and a peaked cap. Borisova hurriedly introduced to Rokossovsky: "This is my deputy, Comrade Tvelin. Tvelin, this is the commander of the 16th Army, General Rokossovsky. ”

"Hello, Comrade General," Tvelin said, holding Rokossovsky's hand, excitedly: "I have long heard Borisova mention you as a hero of the defense of Moscow, but unfortunately I have never had the opportunity to meet you. It's a great pleasure to see you here today. ”

"Report!" As soon as Twelin finished speaking, a voice shouted a report came from outside the door.

Rokossovsky hurriedly let go of Tvelin's hand and shouted majestically outside the door: "Come in!" ”

"They are stationed outside the city," Lobachev's mind spun rapidly, considering whether Borisova and Rokossovsky should be allowed to meet. But soon he made a decision: "It is too dangerous for you to go outside the city, there is a possibility that you will be shelled by the enemy on the way, so you better bring someone to the headquarters, and I will inform General Chernyshev to come and meet you." ”

"Thank you, Comrade Military Commissar." Borisova said very cheerfully: "Then I will take someone to the headquarters of the army group to find you." ”

When Lobachev put down the phone, Rokossovsky raised his head and asked casually: "Comrade Military Commissar, is there another condolence group?" ”

"That's right," Lobachev replied, nodding, "a condolence group from the Leningrad district of Moscow." ”

"Do they have any connection with General Chernyshev?" Rokossovsky asked, somewhat puzzled: "I just heard you mention him." ”

"The 11th Guards Division of General Chernyshov, which turned out to be the 18th Division of the Militia, these fighters came from factories and enterprises in the Leningrad District." Lobachev explained with a smile: "It is equivalent to saying that today it is the soldiers from my hometown who have come to visit us. ”

"Comrade Military Commissar, you are doing the right thing." Rokossovsky said very casually: "Although our troops control Sushnych and the surrounding areas, the enemy's long-range artillery fire will occasionally bombard the city, and it is quite right for them to come here to meet General Chernyshov for the safety of the condolence group." ”

Lobachev saw that Malinin and the others were holding the plan they had made, and after walking to the side, he lowered his voice and said to Rokossovsky: "I have one more thing to tell you, you have to be mentally prepared. Borisova is coming? ”

Hearing this familiar name, Rokossovsky couldn't help but feel shocked, grabbed Lobachev's shoulders, and nervously asked: "Why is she here, shouldn't she still be in the hospital?" ”

"Clearly, her injuries have healed." Lobachev shrugged his shoulders and continued: "And she is now the head of the Leningrad District, and the delegation that came to comfort the 11th Guards Division was led by her. ”

Lobachev saw that Rokossovsky, after hearing this, suddenly walked back and forth with his hands behind his back like a lion in a cage, and kindly suggested: "If you don't want to see her, you can leave now." When she asked, I said you went to the front to inspect it. ”

"No, no." Rokossovsky stopped and decisively rejected Lobachev's proposal: "Since she brought a condolence group, then she definitely wants to see me, and she can't hide." I think I'd better stay here. With that, he walked to the table, picked up the phone on the table, and called the headquarters of the 11th Guards Division.

When he heard that the person who answered the phone was Chernyshov, he immediately ordered: "Hey, General Chernyshov, you immediately bring a few regiment commanders to the headquarters of the army group, there is a condolence group from the Leningrad district of Moscow, which is specially here to comfort you. For their safety, I have arranged the place where you will meet at the headquarters of the army group. Don't you have any comments? ”

"No, no, that's as it should be." When Chernyshov heard that a condolence group from the city had come to comfort the troops, he was overjoyed and said repeatedly: "It's not safe on the way to the outside of the city, so let them stay at the headquarters, and I'll take people over immediately." ”

Borisova came sooner than expected, but when she appeared at the door, the entire command was silent. Most of the conductors in the room knew the story between Rokossovsky and Borisova, so everyone stood still, their eyes swept over both of them.

"What are you all doing standing here?" Rokossovsky saw that everyone was looking at him and Borisova as strange animals, and suddenly became angry and shouted loudly: "Have you finished your work?" ”

Seeing that the commander was angry, the staff officers and signal soldiers, who had been standing there watching the bustle, continued to be nervously busy. Rokossovsky walked up to Borisova and asked with a smile: "Are you here?" ”

"I'm coming!"

"Don't stand at the door, please come in!" Rokossovsky was somewhat hasty and beckoned Borisova to come in and sit down.

Borisova walked into the command headquarters, followed by a burly middle-aged man in civilian military clothes and a peaked cap. Borisova hurriedly introduced to Rokossovsky: "This is my deputy, Comrade Tvelin. Tvelin, this is the commander of the 16th Army, General Rokossovsky. ”

"Hello, Comrade General," Tvelin said, holding Rokossovsky's hand, excitedly: "I have long heard Borisova mention you as a hero of the defense of Moscow, but unfortunately I have never had the opportunity to meet you. It's a great pleasure to see you here today. ”

"Report!" As soon as Twelin finished speaking, a voice shouted a report came from outside the door.

Rokossovsky hurriedly let go of Tvelin's hand and shouted majestically outside the door: "Come in!" ”