It seems that the German attack on Oboyan was repulsed by Katukov's troops, and the big stone hanging in my heart fell to the ground. At this time, even if Katukov doesn't pick me up, I will take the initiative to leave, after all, there are still a lot of things waiting for me to deal with in the army group headquarters.

I stretched out my hand to Katukov and said in a friendly voice: "Comrade General, it seems that you are safe here for the time being, so I should go back to my headquarters." ”

When Katukov shook hands with me and said goodbye, he specifically asked: "Do you need me to send troops to escort you back?" ”

"No need, Comrade General." Based on my experience on these few occasions, the more vehicles there are, the easier it is to be targeted by German planes or sporadic troops, so I politely rejected his offer: "My guards will keep me safe." ”

An hour later, when I reappeared at my army headquarters, the first thing I saw was Kirillov, like an ant on a hot pan, walking around the house with his hands behind his back. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw me return safely, and then asked, "Lida, how is the situation on General Katukov's side?" ”

"The German attack was repulsed." After answering briefly, I turned my head and asked Bezkov, who was standing next to me: "Chief of Staff, how is the situation in our defense zone?" ”

Bezkov nodded and replied: "In the territory of several divisions, the attacks launched by the Germans were repulsed by our troops. According to reconnaissance, they have all returned to their original offensive starting point and are reorganizing their troops, apparently trying to launch a new offensive. ”

"It's nothing remarkable," I said confidently after listening to Bezzikov's report, "since we can repel one of their attacks, we can also repel their second and third attacks." "When I say that, I'm not blindly confident. Rather, it was because I knew that the Allies were going to launch a landing in Sicily in the middle of the night on July 9. The forces at Manstein's disposal were the strategic reserves of the German army, and when the situation was tight, Hitler would definitely draw troops from here to prevent the Allies from expanding their gains. Manstein, who is short of troops, even if he has the ability again. We're still going to be beaten all over the ground looking for teeth.

Having said that, I still don't feel at ease with the divisions on the front line, and I am deeply afraid that the proportion of casualties in their troops in the battle just now is too large, and in that case, it will be more difficult to fight in the next battle.

After making phone calls to the 51st, 52nd, 67th, and 90th Guards Divisions in turn, I learned that the proportion of commanders and fighters killed and wounded in the fighting that had just ended was still within an acceptable range. My heart suddenly felt much more steady.

Just as I was complacent, Akhromeyev, who was talking on the phone by the wall, suddenly covered the microphone and called me. Seeing my gaze on him, he reported to me with some nervousness: "Comrade Commander, your phone. ”

As I walked over to him, I casually asked, "Who's calling?" ”

"The call came from Comrade Deputy Commander-in-Chief." Akhromeyev was afraid that I didn't understand, and he specifically emphasized: "It's Marshal Zhukov!" ”

Marshal Zhukov?! When I heard this name, I couldn't help but be stunned, and I thought to myself, is there something important for him to look for me? Otherwise, how could you cross Vatutin's line and call me directly?

I took the phone and took a deep breath. Talking into the microphone, he said with some humility: "Hello, Comrade Marshal! ”

"Leda, you're back from Katukov?" Zhukov asked straight to the point.

Zhukov is far away in Kursk, how can he know that I went to Oboyan, could it be that someone in the command told the news. As I searched the house with a suspicious gaze, everyone who was swept up shook their heads. He also shrugged his shoulders and spread his hands, putting on an innocent look.

I looked at all the people, but I didn't see anyone who looked like "whistleblowers", so I had to put the matter aside and respectfully ask Zhukov: "Comrade Marshal." You called me, is there anything important? ”

"Are you familiar with the Romanovs?" Zhukov asked coldly.

Romanov, when I heard this familiar name, my first reaction was that he must have been sacrificed, otherwise Zhukov would suddenly ask about him. Thinking that this comrade-in-arms who had fought side by side with me might have died, my heart suddenly became heavy. I asked tentatively: "Comrade Marshal, why did you suddenly ask about him?" Could it be that something happened to him while directing the guerrillas to fight? ”

"Who said he had an accident? He's still alive and well. Zhukov didn't go around in circles with me, but directly picked out the words: "Do you think he will lead his troops to mutiny?" ”

"Led a mutiny?" When I heard Zhukov say this, my jaw almost hit the ground. I asked in astonishment: "Comrade Marshal, I don't know where you heard this speculation?" ”

"You don't care where I heard about it," Zhukov said to me in a tone of rare severity, "you just have to tell me if there is any possibility that he will defect?" ”

"Comrade Marshal, this is absolutely impossible!" For Romanov, an excellent commander who died honorably on the fascist battlefield and was posthumously awarded the title of "Hero of the Soviet Union" by the Soviet ZF, I absolutely do not allow anyone to tarnish his reputation, so I couldn't help but raise my voice and say to Zhukov: "I guarantee with my life that General Romanov will not defect to the enemy under any circumstances." ”

Maybe it was my loud voice that alarmed everyone in the room. Kirillov had a good personal relationship with Romanov, and when he heard me say Romanov's name out loud, he walked up to me and asked in a low voice: "Leda, what happened?" ”

I hurriedly covered the microphone, turned my head to Kirillov and said, "Marshal Zhukov is asking me: Is there any possibility that General Romanov will defect to the enemy. ”

"Nonsense, it's nonsense." When Kirillov heard me say this, he couldn't help but be furious, and he said angrily: "I don't know who made up the rumors to slander our excellent commander like this." As he spoke, his eyes looked at me and he said to me in a pleading tone, "Leda, others don't know about Romanoff, don't you know yet?" Please, ask Comrade Marshal what is wrong. ”

I nodded. He let go of the hand covering the microphone and asked carefully: "Comrade Marshal, I don't know where you heard such a ridiculous lie, but I can tell you responsibly that General Romanov, even if he sacrificed his own life, would never surrender to the fascist invaders." ”

"Looks like you trust him a lot!" Zhukov saw that I was now firmly defending the Romanovs. "But I have just received information from the Ministry of Internal Affairs that at the end of May he ordered the eight hundred kilograms of gold they had taken from Kiev to be handed over to the Italians. ”

When I heard this, I couldn't help but be surprised. After being stunned for a moment, I spoke into the microphone and said, "Comrade Marshal, although I don't know anything about this, I think there must be some inside story. Please wait a moment, and I will ask the other commanders who held Kyiv to the last with General Romanov. ”

"Okay." Zhukov agreed to my request, though. However, he urged me: "I can only give you five minutes, and if you cannot give a reasonable explanation for this matter by then, I will agree with Comrade Beria's decision to send someone to arrest Romanov." ”

"Comrade Marshal, please wait a moment." After I said this, I quickly covered the microphone again, called Kirillov and Akhromeyev, who had been in Kiev, to the front and quickly told Zhukov what he had said on the phone. Repeating it to both of them, I asked, "About this." What do you guys think? ”

Kirillov frowned and thought for a moment, then said thoughtfully: "Lida, I still have a little impression of what you said. At that time, before the breakout, the Romanovs sent people to load all the gold in the bank vaults into trucks and transfer them to the northwest. I guess what Comrade Marshal said. It's this batch of gold. ”

"It seems that this gold has now all fallen into the hands of the Italians." Akhromeyev continued: "If the Romanovs were to mutiny, even if they shot me, I would not believe it. What we have to figure out at the moment is why did General Romanov give this gold to the Italians? ”

"yes. The Major was right. Danilov didn't know when he came to my side, and after hearing Akhromeyev's words, he also began to help us analyze: "If General Romanov wants to mutiny, it can only be to surrender to the Germans, how can he bow to the stupid Italians?" ”

Danilov originally said so casually, and the speaker had no intention of listening to it, and these words were simply enlightening to me. I suddenly thought of a possibility, and tentatively asked the commanders around me: "If you are a Romanov general and have this gold in your hands, what will you do?" ”

"It's a war now, and with so much gold, it will affect the speed of the troops." From his own point of view, Bezikov explained his approach to the gold: "If it were me, I would definitely find a hidden place in the forest, bury this gold, and dig it up after the war is over." ”

"yes, if it were me, I would do the same." The opinions of Kirillov and Danilov, both agree perfectly with Bezkov.

But when I turned my eyes to Akhromeyev, I found that he was still frowning and thinking hard, so I asked him with a smile: "Comrade Major, everyone has said their own methods, what do you think?" ”

My words woke Akhromeyev from his musings, and he said to me carefully: "Comrade commander, I think that with the character of General Romanov, since he did not find a place to hide the gold, he would not have given it away for nothing. I guess he's going to do something with this gold. ”

Hearing Akhromeyev say this, I couldn't help but smile on my face, because I also thought so, but I didn't expect that among so many people, only Akhromeyev's opinion was close to mine.

Kirillov looked at me strangely and asked, "Lida, do you agree with Major Akhromeyev?" ”

"That's right, Comrade Military Commissar." I nodded and said in affirmation: "I think the truth of the matter may really be as Major Akhromeyev guessed, that he gave the gold to the Italians in exchange for some benefit." ”

"What kind of benefits can be obtained from the Italians?" Danilov said disdainfully: "If you encounter the Italian defensive position, with the combat strength of our troops, only a few charges can fight a bloody way." Unless it's money to buy their weapons from the Italians......"

Danilov's words came to an abrupt halt before he could finish his sentence, because he found that the outcome he had guessed was a little too bizarre. When he opened his mouth wide and looked around, Bezikov directly raised his hand and slapped his forehead fiercely, and said with annoyance

"Hell, how did I not think of this possibility? Then he said to me, "Comrade Commander, please wait a moment, I will call my colleague in Moscow and ask him about something." ”

"Hurry up, Comrade Chief of Staff." After I waited for him to leave, I immediately put the earpiece back to my ear and said into the microphone: "Comrade Marshal, are you still there?" ”

After hearing Zhukov snort heavily, he asked rhetorically: "How is it, have you found the results of the study?" ”

"Yes, Comrade Marshal." Although Bezkov was still calling his colleagues in Moscow, I thought in my mind that the possibility I had just deduced existed, so I replied in the affirmative: "According to our analysis, the reason why General Romanov gave the gold in his hand to the Italians was not to surrender, but to have other purposes. ”

"Other purposes?" Zhukov asked puzzledly: "Don't sell it, hurry up and listen to it." ”

"Comrade Marshal, this is the case." In order to buy more time for Bezikov to call, I repeated what I had just said, adding: "If the Romanovs were going to make a sneak attack, they would definitely choose the Germans, how could they choose the Italians?" Therefore, he gave the gold to the Italians in order to get what he needed. ”

"Lida, you've been talking for a long time, and I haven't understood what evidence you have to prove that the Romanovs will not defect." Zhukov's tone became more and more severe, and he almost roared: "The time I gave you has come, and now I will call Beria and ask him to personally issue an order for the arrest of the Romanovs." ”

I was about to say a few more words, when I saw Bezikov hurriedly come to me and hand me a note. But when I saw the above content clearly, I was overjoyed, and hurriedly said into the microphone: "Comrade Marshal, I have figured it all out." General Romanov gave the gold to the Italians in order to buy from them the weapons and equipment needed for the partisan army. ”

"What?" Zhukov was stunned by my words. After a while, he asked in a skeptical tone, "Is there any evidence for what you said?" ”

"Comrade Marshal, my chief of staff, that is, Colonel Bezikov, just called his comrades in Moscow." In order to convince Zhukov, I quickly explained the ins and outs to him: "It was verified that when the Italian troops retreated, in addition to throwing away a large number of weapons that could not be carried, they also sold a part of their weapons to partisans along the way. My absolute Romanov gold is probably used to buy weapons and equipment in the hands of the Italians. ”

After listening to my explanation, Zhukov breathed a sigh of relief and said to me: "Since this is the case, then I will call Beria and ask him to send someone to verify it properly, hoping that our own people will not be wronged." (To be continued.) )

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