After listening to my answer, Zhukov did not speak, sat down with a teacup in his hand, and looked down at the map in front of him. Because he didn't beckon me to sit down, I stood straight at the table.

I stood for a moment, and found that Zhukov's attention had not yet been taken off the map in front of him, and I knew that he was considering a new combat disposition, and was considering whether it was time to say goodbye to him. At this moment, a phone on the table suddenly rang, and Zhukov, who was still in deep thought, suddenly came to his senses, grabbed the phone and said loudly: "I am Zhukov." ”

"Comrade Zhukov!" Because of the closeness, I could clearly hear Stalin's low, slow-paced Georgian accent coming from the microphone.

"Hello! Comrade Stalin! Zhukov stood up suddenly, because the movement of getting up was too great, and the military coat on his body fell to the ground. I hurriedly walked around the table, picked up the military coat on the ground, and draped it over Zhukov.

Stalin on the other side of the phone still said unhurriedly: "I have just communicated with Marshal Shaposhnikov and decided to subordinate the 1st Shock Army and the 10th Army, as well as Comrade Vlasov's 20th Army, to the Western Front from today, November 29, and all of them will be under your command." ”

"Good," Zhukov did not have too many surprises, perhaps the acquisition of these troops was still far from his expectations: "With these troops, we can carry out a counter-assault on the German army." ”

The two of them talked a few more words, and suddenly I vaguely heard Stalin mention my name, and I couldn't help but prick up my ears to listen carefully, only to hear him ask a little unhappily: "...... What's the matter with that Oshanina, who is not commanding the troops for defense in Mount Sun City, and what is she going to Khimki to do? The leaders of the municipal party committee actually sued her in front of me. ”

"Comrade Stalin, please listen to my explanation. Here's how it happened...... "Zhukov looked at me, and then told Stalin in detail what I had just reported to him. At the end, he added: "As a result of Comrade Oshanina's quick decision, the militia and tank units were organized to attack in time, and all the German troops entrenched in the Khimki settlement were wiped out, blocking the enemy's advance towards the Kremlin." ”

After listening to Zhukov's explanation, Stalin asked slowly: "So, what are the positions and ranks of Bunyachenko and Bukov, who participated in the offensive?" ”

Zhukov covered the microphone in his hand and looked at me, and I quickly replied: "Lieutenant Colonel Buniachenko is the chief of staff of the 389th Tank Division, and Captain Bukov is the commander of the militia destroyer battalion. After listening to this, Zhukov let go of his hand holding the microphone and repeated my words to Stalin.

"Immediately draw troops from the reserves, replenish the 389th Tank Division, and that Bunyachenko made him the commander of this division, and at the same time promoted him to the rank of colonel. As for Captain Bukov, he was promoted to the rank of major and sent to Oshanina's 8th Guards Division as a battalion commander. In a few words, Stalin arranged the future of the two commanders who took part in the Khimki offensive, and after saying this, he hung up the phone.

Zhukov put down the phone, looked up at me, sighed softly, and said earnestly: "Lida, as your superior and elder, I want to say a few words about you. Regardless of whether the order of the superior is right or wrong, as long as he gives the order, you must carry it out, and you can neither question it in the slightest nor change it casually. It is important to know that the nature of Lu Dao's violation of the orders of his superiors is very bad, and even if he wins the victory, he may be sent to a military court. Do you understand? ”

I know that what he said was that I had arbitrarily revised the operational orders of the Soviets in the Northern District, although I had always thought in my heart that there was nothing wrong with adjusting the battle plan according to the changes in the situation on the battlefield. When he heard that Zhukov had already said this, he could only bow his head and admit his mistake: "I'm sorry, Comrade General, I was wrong." ”

He stood up, walked around the table to me, patted me on the shoulder, and comforted: "Don't worry, Comrade Stalin, I have already explained it to you just now." Forget it this time, and the next time you encounter this situation, remember to notify me and let me personally come forward to deal with it. ”

Hearing him say this, I knew that he was trying his best to defend me, and quickly replied, "I understand." Thank you, Comrade General! When I said this, I secretly screamed in my heart that if it weren't for Zhukov protecting me, what kind of fate would be the unknown path that awaits me at this moment.

As he was talking, the phone on the table rang again, this time from the commander of a certain group army below, reporting that the enemy offensive in front of him was fierce, and the defense line in some sections had been broken through by the enemy. When Zhukov heard this, he immediately jumped like thunder and scolded the other party: "I order you to immediately organize troops to carry out a counter-assault, and you must take back the positions occupied by the enemy, otherwise you will wait to go to the military court." ”

There was more than one such phone, and before it was put down, several other phones on the table rang one after another. The contents of these calls were much the same, saying that the Germans had suddenly launched an attack in such and such a place, and that the enemy, who had a huge advantage in technology and equipment, forced our troops to retreat and quickly occupied such and such an area. I was particularly embarrassed to see Zhukov angrily lashing out at the commander on the other side of the phone, and at the same time I was glad that I was lucky enough to attack Solhill City and Khimki so easily.

When he put down all his phones and sat down at the table and stopped talking, I took two steps forward and asked cautiously: "Comrade General, I don't know if you have recruited me to the headquarters, do you have any tasks to assign?" ”

Hearing my voice, Zhukov, who was looking at the map in a daze, seemed to remember that there was still a person like me in the room, looked up at me, and said slowly: "I recruited you back from the front because a military meeting will be held tomorrow to arrange a counterattack plan against the German army." The meeting was attended by the commanders of the armies, as well as the commanders of several Guards Divisions. You'll want to participate too. ”

I didn't think it was a problem for the old fool to stand here, so I immediately asked again: "Then what is my current task?" ”

"Your task now is to get some rest. I know that you haven't had a good rest in order to command the battle these days. So I've got you a room upstairs, so you can go get some sleep and come back tomorrow when we have a meeting. After saying that, he shouted to the door: "Comrade Captain, come in." ”

With his shout, the door was pushed open, and the captain appeared in the doorway. Zhukov instructed him: "Take Commander Oshanina upstairs to rest." ”

After saluting Zhukov, I followed the captain out of the room.

After going out, the captain planned to take me upstairs to find my room, but when I saw that he was alone, and if he left, there would be no one on duty at the door, so I politely declined his kindness, asked for the number of my room, and planned to go up to the third floor to find it myself.

As I walked to the corridor where the communication room was located, I suddenly heard the captain calling out to me from behind, and I quickly stopped and looked back. The captain asked loudly: "Comrade division commander, I will have someone send you the new military uniform to the room later." ”

"Okay, then I'm sorry for you!" After that, I turned around and left. As soon as he turned around, his body thumped softly, and his elbow seemed to hit a soft ball of silk. I looked at it, and it turned out to be a young female soldier, probably I had just hit a little too hard, and she was frowning and rubbing her breasts with her hands.

Although the other party was just a soldier, I quickly apologized to her: "I'm sorry, comrade soldier!" I was just walking carelessly, didn't it hurt? I was about to say a few more words, but suddenly I felt that the other party was a little familiar, looked up and down, and immediately remembered that this was Nina, the warrior who had accompanied me shopping two months ago, and immediately patted her on the shoulder and said excitedly: "Nina, it's you!" Do you still know me? I'm Oshanina! ”

Nina looked up at me and recognized me, her eyebrows jumped to the top, and she smiled and hugged me, exclaiming excitedly, "Remember, Lida Cheka, I'm so glad to see you here again!" ”

"Quiet! Be quiet, please! "Hearing our shouts of excitement, the sergeant sitting on duty in the corridor immediately stood up and spoke out to stop our gaffe.

Nina stuck out her tongue, grimaced at the sergeant, and pulled me out.