When Rokossovsky heard the news that the troops had been driven out of the residential area by the Germans, he directly dropped the telephone in his hand, and then walked around the house with his hands behind his back in a huff. After the night, the injury on his foot seemed to heal, and he didn't feel like he was limping like he was yesterday.

Malinin came from the telegraph with a telegram in his hand, but when he saw the commander circling the room like an ant on a hot pot, he stopped in amusement.

"What's the matter with you?" Rokossovsky stopped and asked Malinin impatiently. "Comrade commander, this is an order from the Supreme Command that was just forwarded by the Front Army!" Malinin handed him the telegram with a smile on his face.

"An order from the Supreme High Command? What kind of offensive order, right? Rokossovsky muttered and took the telegram, and after a few glances, a rare smile appeared on his face.

What's going on? What kind of order did the Supreme High Command give, even Rokossovsky, who had just been thunderous, was happy. I looked blankly at Leviagin and Egorov next to me, who were also staring at me blankly, and everyone was confused, and it was a little difficult to understand this rapid change of attitude of the commander.

After reading the telegram, Rokossovsky looked up and saw a room full of people staring at him like monsters, smiled a little embarrassedly, raised the telegram in his hand, and said loudly: "This is an order of the Supreme Command, and the heroic and tenacious spirit of the 3rd Cavalry Corps of Major General Dovator in the battle to defend our great capital Moscow and the great results achieved have been specially awarded to the 2nd Guards Cavalry Corps by the Supreme Command's study and decision on November 26. ”

As soon as he finished reading the contents of the telegram, the room burst into applause, for the honor-loving Soviets, the title of a Guards is more inspiring than a reserve of a thousand people. Seeing that everyone was applauding, I had to symbolically slap my palm a few times.

Rokossovsky smiled and pressed his hands down, and when everyone had calmed down, he continued: "Comrades, this is good news, and the commanders and fighters of the cavalry corps should be informed immediately. Turning back to Malinin, he asked: "Is Dovator at the front?" ”

"No, Comrade Commander." "General Dovatol was wounded some time ago and is being treated in the hospital, and in his place is the commander of the 50th Cavalry Division, General Pliev," Malinin reminded. ”

"Connect me immediately with General Priev, and I will speak to him personally."

"Yes!" Ma Lining agreed, and immediately arranged for someone to replace the telephone that had just been broken. I felt a little embarrassed to see the people in the headquarters busy and busy, and then to see a few divisional commanders of our Eighth Guards Division doing nothing beside them.

As soon as the phone was about to be connected, it was General Pliev himself who answered the phone, and as soon as he heard his name and rank, Rokossovsky excitedly shouted into the microphone: "Comrade General Pliev, I am Commander Rokossovsky, and I have good news for you, in recognition of your heroic performance in the battle and outstanding results, the Supreme Command has decided to award you the honorary title of the 2nd Guards Cavalry Army." In defense of this honor, I command you to immediately organize a new offensive again to retake the lost settlements. ”

"Comrade Commander, please rest assured!" I heard General Pliev on the other side make a categorical assurance: "We swear that we will defend with our blood the honor we have achieved!" I will immediately organize a new offensive of my troops, and even if we fight to the last man, we will take back the settlement. ”

"Okay, go ahead! I await news of your victory. With that, Rokossovsky hung up. As soon as the microphone rested on the telephone, he shook the handle again, and after shaking it a few times, he picked up the microphone and said loudly: "I'm Rokossovsky, pick up political commissar Lobachev for me." ”

After communicating with the commissar, he first informed the Dovator Cavalry Corps of the honorary title of the 2nd Guards Cavalry Army, and then said: "Comrade commissar, when the cavalry corps launches an attack on the settlement, you must urge the infantry to follow in time, clear the occupied area of the remnants of the enemy, and establish a strong defensive line. It is also necessary to push the existing two anti-tank artillery regiments forward as much as possible, to destroy as many enemy tanks as possible, and to reduce the offensive pressure of the cavalry. ……”

Suddenly there was a report outside, and then a loud voice sounded: "Report Comrade Commander, the commander of the 1st Guards Tank Brigade Katukov came to report!" Hearing this voice, Ma Lining immediately greeted him.

When Katukov came in, Rokossovsky also finished the call, went up to shake his hand, and said happily: "Comrade General, your tank has come too timely, and my attack here needs the cooperation of armored troops." ”

"I'm at your disposal." General Katukov said as he shook hands with the rest of the room. When he came to me, I saluted him before taking his hand and shaking it vigorously, saying, "It's a pleasure to see you again, Comrade General!" ”

"I'm glad to meet you, Comrade Lieutenant Colonel!" Katukov took my hand and unconsciously used a few exertions, and I knew that it was a sign of friendliness, so although my hand was pinched, I still had a smile on my face.

"Comrade Commander." After Katukov let go of my hand, he turned his head and asked Rokossovsky: "What is the next task of my brigade?" ”

"Comrade Commander," I couldn't help but cry out as I thought that my line of defense had been cut to pieces by the Germans, and that it would be better to come over and put it in my own defense zone to assist in the defense than to throw this extremely valuable tank unit into a pointless counterattack.

"Leda, what do you think, let's hear it!" Rokossovsky did not mean anything strange in the slightest, but asked me to express my opinion.

Since the commanders had this attitude, I mustered up the courage to say: "I would like to assign General Katukov's tank brigade to my division to assist us in defending the existing line of defense." I don't know what you mean, Commander Ludao? ”