After Crochkov left, I lay in bed thinking a lot, thinking about what I might have to do when I left for Stalingrad.

The city has been reduced to ruins in the war, and the destroyed houses must be rebuilt; The damaged power and urban water supply and drainage systems should also be restored as soon as possible; More importantly, it is necessary to clean up the corpses of tens of thousands of officers and soldiers and citizens on both sides left in the city as soon as possible, otherwise it may cause an epidemic after the evacuated citizens return to the city on a large scale.

These tasks cannot be completed in more than five years. In other words, as long as I stay in Stalingrad, then such a good thing as the capture of Berlin has nothing to do with me. When I think about this, I suddenly become troubled by gains and losses.

I was lying on the bed sighing when I suddenly heard Yushchenko's voice outside the door: "Hello, Comrade Colonel, you came to see the commander, right?" ”

"yes." Bezikov's voice also came from outside the door, "Is she there?" ”

"Yes," Yushchenko quickly replied, "she's resting inside, please come in." ”

Hearing someone walk into the ward, I hurriedly looked sideways, and saw that the person who walked in was indeed Bezikov, and hurriedly greeted him: "Colonel, you are here." ”

Bezkov pulled a chair in front of my bed, sat down, and said with a big grin: "Lida, I see that the gauze on your eyes has been removed. How's it going, can you see things clearly? ”

Hearing his question, I couldn't help but smile bitterly, and after slowly shaking my head, I said aggrievedly: "Alas. Don't mention it. I thought it was surgery. Everything will be fine. Unexpectedly, after removing the gauze and checking it today, I found that not only could I not see things clearly, but I didn't even have a sense of light. ”

"What, your eyes don't even have a sense of light after surgery?!" After listening to my words, Bezikov jumped up from his seat and asked nervously: "What about your attending doctor?" He was after the examination. How is it said? ”

"Colonel, don't get excited, sit down first." I raised my right hand and pressed it down, motioned for him to sit down, and continued: "During today's examination, Dean Osimi explained to me, saying that this situation needs to lie in bed for a few days and recuperate, and it will slowly get better, so don't worry too much." ”

After slowly sitting down again. He didn't go around in circles and asked me bluntly: "Did Crochkov come to the hospital today to see you?" ”

"yes. I've been here. I don't know why Bezzikov asked that, but I answered him truthfully: "Did you come today with some mission?" ”

I asked this not without purpose, but considering that he and I had already been included in the Zhukov family, he came to visit me at this time, and specifically asked Crochkov what his purpose was.

Sure enough, when I had finished asking, he nodded and replied: "Yes, Lida, I have come to visit you on the orders of Marshal Zhukov, and by the way, I will inform you of the marshal's decision. ”

"The marshal's decision?" Bezikov's words couldn't help but arouse my curiosity, and at the same time, I saw a glimmer of opportunity, and hurriedly asked: "I don't know what decision is?" ”

"That's right, Comrade Marshal heard that Poskorebeshev suggested to Comrade Stalin that you go to Stalingrad to participate in the reconstruction work. You must know all the news. At this point, Bezkov deliberately paused for a moment, and when he saw that I nodded in approval, he continued: "Comrade Marshal believes that you are very capable in military command, and if you are transferred from the army to the localities, it will be a waste of talent, so he intends to propose to the Supreme Commander himself that you be assigned a suitable post in the army. Therefore, I have been ordered to ask for your opinion on which unit you wish to go? ”

Hearing what Bezikov said, I couldn't help but be a little at a loss, didn't I just cancel my appointment as chief of staff of the reserve front, why should I be assigned to any position in the army? However, as far as I know, the current senior commanders of various armies are all highly respected generals with rich experience, and a small role like mine cannot be put on the stage at all. However, since Zhukov sent Zikov to ask for my opinion, I could not remain silent, so I had to ask rhetorically: "I wonder which unit Comrade Marshal intends to send me to?" ”

"Comrade Marshal intends to let you go to the Prairie Front, also to the post of Chief of Staff." Probably afraid that I would not be able to figure out the situation, I deliberately added: "The commander of the steppe front is General Konev." ”

Hearing this unfamiliar troop number, I felt that it should belong to the troops in the rear. In such a unit, it is estimated that there are not many opportunities to make meritorious achievements, and it is precisely because of this that I asked with some unwillingness: "In addition to the steppe front army, are there other troops?" ”

"There is another option, which is to go to the Kalinin Front." It is estimated that before Bezikov came, Zhukov explained to him in great detail, and seeing that my attitude towards going to the steppe front was not clear, he turned to me to introduce the new troops: "At present, the chief of staff of the front is Lieutenant General Zakharov, and if you are willing to go, the marshal will transfer Zakharov to the post of chief of staff of the steppe front." ”

As for the two choices given by Zhukov, I am still more inclined to the latter, after all, the Kalinin Front has more opportunities to participate in battles, so as the chief of staff of the Front, there are more opportunities to make meritorious contributions, which will be conducive to my future development. Although I was a little impressed, I did not immediately reply to Bezkov, and in order to know more about the situation of this unit, I then asked: "Colonel, can you tell me about the situation of the Kalinin Front?" ”

"No problem," Bezkov agreed very cheerfully, and then briefed me on the Kalinin Front: "The Kalinin Front is a strategic corps of the campaign formed in accordance with the order of the Supreme High Command of October 17, 1941, for the purpose of unified command of the troops covering Moscow from the northwest. It has jurisdiction over the 22nd, 29th, 30th, and 31st armies on the right flank of the Western Front. The field command was reorganized from the headquarters of the 10th Army of the Reserve, and the first commander was General Konev. In August 42, after General Konev was transferred to the post of commander of the Steppe Front, Colonel-General Pulkaev took over the post of commander. ”

Bezkov's words couldn't help but make my heart pound. But it didn't take long for me to think about a key question. Hurriedly asked again: "Colonel." Comrade Kokrochkov has just announced the order to transfer me to Stalingrad. Is it a little too late for Comrade Marshal to send you to ask for my opinion at this time? ”

Unexpectedly, after hearing this, Bezikov shook his head and said disappreciably: "As long as the written order is not issued, there are still variables in the matter." Seeing my worried look, he couldn't help but smile, "As long as you don't want to go to Stalingrad, even if the written order is given, what does it matter." To cancel the order, isn't it just a sentence from Comrade Marshal. ”

When Bezikov said this, I was stunned, although Crochkov's immediate boss was Pos Krebeshev, Zhukov was the deputy commander-in-chief, and the weight of his speech in front of the Supreme Commander himself was definitely stronger than the former. Thinking of this, the stone hanging in my heart fell to the ground, and I said lightly: "Comrade Colonel, please go back and tell Marshal Zhukov." Let's just say that my current physical condition is not able to take up a new position for the time being. Can you wait a month or two before he can arrange a job for me? ”

After a glance, Bezkov nodded in agreement: "Well, I will bring your original words to Comrade Marshal." After saying that, he stood up and politely said goodbye to me, "If there is nothing to do, I will go back and report to Comrade Marshal." ”

"Go, Comrade Colonel." I said very politely, "Thank you, thank you for coming to visit me today." ”

With the departure of Bezkov, I closed my eyes and began to think about my future way out. Judging from the current situation, I can continue to stay in the army, and as for the steppe front that goes to Konev or the Kalinin front that goes to Pulkaev, I should follow Zhukov's arrangement.

While I was thinking nonsense, I suddenly heard Yushchenko's voice at the door: "This comrade, please stay, you can't enter this ward casually." ”

"Comrade Captain," the other party asked with a smile, "don't you know who I am?" ”

There was silence outside for a while, and then Yushchenko's voice came again: "I'm sorry, I don't seem to have seen you before, so I can't just let you into the ward." ”

"In that case, comrade lieutenant, could you please go in and ask General Oshanina," the man did not get angry at Yushchenko's tough attitude, but continued patiently and patiently, "saying that a man named Ustinov wants to see her. ”

Ustinov, when I heard this name, I almost jumped up from the hospital bed, and in my heart I scolded Yushchenko for being bloody, and I actually dared to block Ustinov, the People's Commissar of the Ministry of Weapons and Equipment, from the door. So I didn't wait for Yushchenko to come in and report, and shouted loudly outside the door: "Is it Comrade Ustinov?" Come on in. Captain Yushchenko, let the guests in! ”

Hearing my command, Yushchenko immediately changed his respectful attitude, and he took the initiative to say to Ustinov: "Please come in, Comrade General is lying in the ward." ”

As soon as Ustinov walked into the room, I struggled to sit up straight and greeted Ustinov, who walked in: "Hello, Comrade People's Commissar, it's a pleasure to meet you here!" With that, I stretched out my hands to him.

When he and I clasped our hands, he said politely: "Comrade Oshanina, I heard that you have undergone surgery and are in the hospital, so I came to see you and talk to you about something by the way." ”

I smiled and asked, "Comrade People's Commissar, I don't know what I can do for you?" ”

"I heard that your order to serve as chief of staff of the Reserve Front was canceled because you were hospitalized." Ustinov said to me with a smile: "How is it, are you interested in helping me with the Ministry of Weapons and Equipment?" ”

Ministry of Armament? Ustinov's words left me confused, and after a moment of hesitation, I cautiously asked: "Comrade People's Commissar, I don't understand what you mean. You know, I'm a complete layman in weapons manufacturing and the like. If I do go to you, I may not only not be able to help, but will cause you a mess. ”

"Comrade Oshanina, how can you think that?" Ustinov said with a smile: "Although you have been in the army, I have heard many people talk about you, and I know that you are a very capable person. Since you are temporarily unable to continue your position in the army due to hospitalization, you might as well come to my department. The specific work, when you are discharged from the hospital, we are slowly studying it. Looking at this arrangement, are you still satisfied? ”

Just as I didn't know how to answer him, I suddenly heard Yushchenko's voice coming from outside the door: "Hello, Comrade General, may I ask you ......?" After a moment, there was a sudden exclamation, "Oh my God, you are Alexandrov, Alexandrov of the Red Banner Song and Dance Troupe?" ”

Ustinov, apparently hearing the movement outside, turned sideways and said to me with a smile: "I really didn't expect Aleksandrov to come to see you." ”

As soon as Aleksandrov walked in the door, he excitedly greeted Ustinov: "Hello, dear Dmitry. Fedorovich, it's a pleasure to see you here. ”

Ustinov got up from his seat and joked to Aleksandrov with a smile: "Comrade General, did you have any plans to recruit Comrade Oshanina to your command?" ”

When Aleksandrov heard Ustinov expose his little tricks, he just laughed a few words, and then said to Ustinov: "I once heard from others that Oshanina's singing level is good, so I specially came here to ask her if she is interested in joining our Red Banner Song and Dance Troupe?" ”

After listening to Aleksandrov's words, Ustinov immediately shook his head like a rattle: "No, no, resolutely no." I asked her to go to the Weapons and Equipment Department to be my deputy, and I was wronged by her, but now you actually want her to go to your Red Flag Song and Dance Troupe, which is resolutely not possible. ”

As soon as Aleksandrov waited for Ustinov to finish speaking, he turned his head to me and asked: "Comrade Oshanina, I don't know what you are planning?" Give both of us an accurate answer. ”

"Thank you, General Alexandrov! Thank you, Comrade Ustinov. In response to the invitation made by the two of them, I said euphemistically: "I am still in the recovery period after surgery, and it is estimated that the recovery time will not be short." It's better like this, when my eyes are almost recovered, I will go to the Red Flag Song and Dance Troupe and the Weapons and Equipment Department respectively. Then decide which unit to go to. ”

Ustinov obviously saw that I was shirking, but in this case, he didn't want to say too much, just nodded and said lightly in a businesslike tone: "Well, since that's the case, then let's wait a little longer, I hope you can recover soon." ”

After the two of them left together, Yushchenko ran in from outside, looked at me with adoring eyes and said: "Comrade commander, the leaders of such departments have come to invite you to participate in their work, you are amazing!" (To be continued......)

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