With a common reason and a common language, the atmosphere in the conference room became much more harmonious.

Crochkov introduced me to the two staff members sitting next to him: "The one on the left is Comrade Shekin, and on the right is Comrade Gref, both of whom are members of the Suppression Committee. ”

The term "anti-rebellion committee" makes me shudder, you must know that this department can control the life and death of countless people, and they can decide a person's life and death with a casual word. However, it is still necessary to have a good relationship with them, so when I saw them get up and stretch out their hands to me, I quickly got up and shook hands with them one by one across the conference table.

Then Crochkov said: "Comrade Oshanina, I will tell you the bottom here. This case was personally confessed by Comrade Beria, who said that Comrade Ehrenburg had published in Pravda a group of photographs of you organizing the killing of prisoners, and this news was reprinted by the newspapers of some bourgeois countries, causing an uproar. You are also called a 'butcher of the bourgeoisie' for your wanton massacre of German prisoners! "When Comrade Stalin heard the news, he was furious and demanded that Comrade Beria deal with this matter seriously, and that he should immediately send someone to arrest you and hand you over to a military tribunal to give an explanation to the relevant parties. ”

After listening to his introduction, I smiled bitterly and asked, "Comrade Crochkov, I wonder what Lu Dao will do with me?" ”

Crochkov did not speak, his eyes looked at Shegin on the right. Shekin, who had a brain and was still a little bowed, said: "Originally, according to the instructions of Comrade Beria, we made a decision to send you to a labor camp or exile to Siberia after dismissing you from all your posts and dismissing you from military posts. He paused, observed my expression, and saw that I was looking at him expressionlessly, before he continued: "But when we have just learned the truth of the matter, we intend to suggest it to Comrade Beria. Retain your military rank and allow you to return to the army. ”

Seeing that things had a tendency to turn big things into small things, I hurriedly gratefully said to him: "Thank you, thank you!" ”

Crochkov stood up and said: "Let's get here today, let's go and report to Comrade Beria." Comrade Oshanina, I will arrange a place for you to rest well, and then tell you the results tomorrow. Then he shouted loudly outside: "Major Zuyev." ”

Major Zuyev pushed the door open and walked in, and after saluting him, he asked: "Hello! Comrade Crochkov, do you have any orders? ”

Crochkov pointed at me and said: "Comrade Major, you go and help Comrade Oshanina arrange accommodation." Remember, she is now not a prisoner of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, but a guest, so arrange a comfortable accommodation where she can rest well. ”

Zuyev agreed, walked up to me, made a gesture of please, and said softly: "Please, Comrade Oshanina, I will go and arrange accommodation for you." ”

Before following Zuyev away, I glanced back at Crochkov, saw him looking at me with a smile, waved his hand and said: "Comrade Oshanina, go and rest in peace, I will report the results of the discussion to Comrade Beria as soon as possible." ”

Since Krochkov had already spoken, Zouev naturally did not take me to a cell for the night, but directly led me to a duty room with a bed and a bathroom to rest.

As soon as the major left, I locked the door and didn't go to the bathroom to wash, so I threw myself on the bed in the duty room, and the infinite sleepiness immediately overwhelmed me! I calculated for a long time in a daze, but in any case, I can't remember that in the more than one month since the start of the great counteroffensive, I haven't had a solid sleep for more than ten days, or more than twenty days!

The next day, while I was still asleep, I heard someone knocking on the door outside and calling my name loudly. I got up from the bed in a daze, walked to the door, and asked weakly, "Who?" ”

"Comrade Oshanina, I'm Major Zuyev." The sound outside the door woke me up at once, and I remembered that I was not in my own barracks, but in the building of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, awaiting the final verdict. So he immediately opened the door, smiled politely at the major outside, and said, "Good morning, Comrade Major!" ”

Zuyev looked me up and down, and without being polite, he said straight to the point: "Comrade Oshanina, you should hurry up and wash up, and then go to the conference room, where important people are waiting for you." With that, he saluted and turned to leave.

When I heard that there were important people waiting for me in the conference room, I didn't dare to slack off, so I immediately rushed into the bathroom to wash up briefly, and then ran quickly towards the conference room.

Pushing open the door of the conference room, I saw a soldier sitting in the middle of the conference table, and I fixed my eyes to see that it was Zhukov. I was taken aback, trotted a few steps, stood up opposite him, and saluted: "Hello, Comrade General! Major General Oshanina, Chief of Staff of the 20th Army and Commander of the 8th Guards Division, reports to you and awaits your orders. ”

Zhukov sat in his place, just raised his hand and touched his forehead, which was regarded as a salute to return, and asked coldly: "I want to hear what you have to say?" ”

I understand what Zhukov meant, he wants me to review it, and then he will go out and plead with him, maybe the matter will be over. But after thinking about it, I felt that the killing of the captives was indeed not a great sin, so I replied stubbornly: "No! ”

"Nope!" He slammed the table and stood up, his face sank and he said sternly: "You have made such a big mistake and caused such a big trouble, and you have not said anything!" ”

I lowered my head and replied in a low voice, "I don't think I've done anything wrong in this matter." ”

Zhukov was angered by my words, and he pointed at my nose and shouted: "What a shame you have done to slaughter prisoners in full view of you, a high-ranking officer of the Red Army!" You think that if you pull the trigger in your hand, you will be happy to take revenge, but have you ever thought that for the sake of a few Germans who are inferior to beasts, you will take your future and even your life, do you think it is worth it! ......" Zhukov was so angry that he didn't dare to come out, and stood there straight like a wooden man.

Just then, someone pushed the door open and walked in. I turned my head and saw that it was Crochkov and a few of them. As soon as he entered the door, Zhukov, who was already furious, immediately fell silent and looked coldly at the few people who had just entered the door.

Crochkov didn't expect to meet Zhukov here, and couldn't help but be stunned, but his expression immediately returned to normal, and he took the initiative to greet Zhukov: "Hello, Comrade General! Didn't expect to see you here. I wonder if you have any instructions for our Ministry of Internal Affairs when you came today? ”

Zhukov snorted angrily and said, "I'm here to see what you do with Oshanina." ”

Crochkov seemed to be a little afraid of Zhukov, and when he heard him say this, he hurriedly explained: "Comrade General, there may be some misunderstanding in this. We asked Comrade Oshanina to come back because we received an order from Comrade Beria, please understand us. ”

Zhukov glanced at me, and I quickly stood up straight, my chin slightly upturned and staring ahead. Zhukov snorted again, turned to Krochkov and said: "Comrade Krochkov, you are representing the Ministry of Internal Affairs, please announce your opinion on the disposition of Comrade Oshanina." ”，

Although I had been mentally prepared, in the face of the most cowardly "verdict", my heart was still pounding. Krochkov walked up to me, looked at me expressionlessly, opened the folder, picked up a piece of paper, and read it out from the book: "Now announce the decision of the NKVD on the handling of Oshanina, Chief of Staff of the 20th Army of the Western Front and Commander of the 8th Guards Division: Lida Mushidakova Oshanina, 22 years old, with the rank of major general, regimental member. ……”

After hearing everything Krochkov had read, I realized that Leda was so young, and that I had ignored her age for so long. "On January 15, 1942, after leading his troops to seize the village of Petrishevo, he wantonly slaughtered 84 German soldiers who had laid down their arms and surrendered. In view of the serious consequences of Comrade Oshanina's actions, which should have been dealt with seriously, but in view of the fact that Comrade Oshanina had repeatedly performed meritorious deeds after the beginning of the great counteroffensive and that the German soldiers who had been shot had committed unforgivable crimes against our people, the NKVD decided to study and report to Comrade Beria and made the following punishment decision: she would be dismissed from the army, dismissed from all her current posts, and transferred to the city of Tyumen in Siberia for another appointment. Complete! ”

Crochkov slowly put away the folder, looked up and asked: "Comrade Oshanina, do you have any opinion on the organization's handling decision?" ”

"Obey the organization's decision, I will definitely learn a lesson and change my ways!"

"Good, good!" A smile crept up Crochkov's face, he took two steps forward and patted me on the shoulder and said: "This is the best, after Tyumen, do not have ideological baggage, and conscientiously do the work assigned to you by the organization." It doesn't matter if you make a mistake, as long as you correct it, you are still a good comrade! I hope you will learn the lessons of this time and make new contributions in your new position! ”

"Comrade Krochkov," Zhukov asked coldly, "I want to ask, I don't know what kind of work you arranged for Comrade Oshanina to go to Tyumen?" ”

Crochkov tucked the folder under his arm, took a few steps towards Zhukov, and then whispered: "Comrade General, you should know that the body of Comrade Lenin has now been transferred to the city of Tyumen. Comrade Beria meant that he intended to send Comrade Oshanina to Tyumen to guard the mausoleum of Comrade Lenin. ”