When Sokov got on the bus, he saw Asiya in his car, so he handed her the paper bag in his hand and said at the same time: "Asiya gives you this, you keep two, and the rest Give all the money to the wounded."
Asiya took the paper bag, looked inside with the light of the gas lamp in the carriage, and asked in surprise: "Misha, where did you get the apples?"
"Given by the military representative at the station." After Sokov said this, he looked around and found that his carriage was not too crowded, so he pulled Asiya to sit down in a corner and asked with concern: " Are you tired from marching these two days?"
In response to Sokov's question, Asiya thought for a while, then nodded and said: "A little bit. But I have long been used to it. By the way, when can we reach our destination."
"It's hard to say." If it was before departure from Kursk, Sokov could still give a rough date to Asiya's question. But after today's incident, he found that there were too many uncertainties, and could only say vaguely: "When we arrive in Moscow, we have to take the train to Kazan, and then take the Volga Fleet's transportation from Kazan." The ship will go to Stalingrad in about half a month to a month. Of course, this is still relatively optimistic, otherwise we won’t be able to arrive in two months.”
Sokov's words surprised Asya, and she asked curiously: "It's only more than a thousand kilometers from Moscow to Stalingrad. If we go there by train and transport ship, no matter how slow the speed is, we can get there within a month." Arrival. Why do you say it might not arrive in two months?"
Sokov said helplessly: "Asia, you don't know something. The current transportation capacity is tight. I am very worried about whether we can find a train to transport us to Kazan after we arrive in Moscow, let alone the Volga River Fleet." Transport ship."
"No way," Asiya leaned into Sokov's ear and asked puzzledly: "Didn't Comrade Chief of General Staff arrange transportation for us? Are you still worried about something unexpected happening?"
Sokov turned to look at Asiya and asked: "Asiya, do you know why we returned to Moscow by train instead of the truck convoy as agreed in advance?"
After hearing this question, Asiya frowned and thought for a moment, then shook her head and said, "I don't know, why?"
"Because when our troops arrived here, the truck convoy prepared for us by our superiors had already been transferred to perform other tasks." Sokov thought that Asiya was not an outsider, so he told what happened in the city today. Told her in detail.
After listening to Sokov's story, Asiya was so frightened that she broke into a cold sweat. She grabbed Sokov's arm tightly and said excitedly: "Misha, you said you pointed a gun at the officer on duty at the garrison headquarters. Is this true?" Seeing Sokov nodding in recognition, She became more and more nervous, "Misha, you are a commander, how can you be so impulsive? If something happens to you, what will the troops do? What...what should I do?"
Sokov heard Asiya's concern for him from her tone, so he put his arm around her shoulders and said softly: "Asiya, don't worry, I have a sense of proportion. If I didn't If you do this, all the commanders and fighters in the brigade will have to walk back to Moscow. As you know, our brigade has a large proportion of new recruits. If they are allowed to walk more than 500 kilometers again after just completing a march of more than 100 kilometers, they will definitely be It has caused a lot of non-combat attrition. There may even be... deserters."
"There are deserters?" Asiya repeated the word and asked in surprise: "Is it really so serious?"
"That's right." Sokov nodded and said affirmatively: "Before we set off, many new soldiers were unwilling to leave their homes, which led to a wavering of military morale. If our march this time is too difficult, , then the unstable factors that were finally suppressed will resurface again, and it will not be so easy to clean up the mess."
The two sat in the corner, chatting quietly. While chatting, Sokov suddenly noticed that Asiya had no voice. He turned around and found that she had fallen asleep on his shoulder. He quickly adjusted his sitting position so that Asiya's head rested on his lap, so that he could sleep more comfortably.
At dawn, the military column entered Moscow's Kursk Railway Station. Sokov remained in a fixed position for so long that when the troops began to disembark, he was unable to stand up. Seeing his embarrassed look, Asiya chuckled, then called two soldiers to help help Sokov down the military column.
There are nine railway stations in Moscow. If the troops want to go to Kazan, they will definitely not change trains at this railway station. Therefore, after getting off the bus, Sokov asked the military representative at the station and learned that he had to go to Yaroslavl Railway Station, where there was a train bound for Kazan.
However, when Sokov led the troops to Yaroslavl Railway Station, the military representatives at the station were not there, and they were greeted by the deputy station chief. Hearing that Sokov and the others were going to Kazan, the deputy station commander shook his head and said: "I'm sorry, Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, the queue to Kazan has long been full. If you start queuing now, probably In forty-five days, it will be your turn."
When Sokov heard what the deputy station commander said, he couldn't help but put his hand on the holster on his waist again. He wanted to draw the gun immediately and kill the deputy station commander. His troops were going to Kazan, but they had to wait until a month and a half later. Fortunately, Belgin found Sokov's hand and grabbed his hand. At the same time, he asked the deputy station commander with a smile: "Comrade deputy station commander, our transfer was arranged by the Supreme Command, and we were asked to rush there as soon as possible. Kazan. Can you think of something?"
The deputy station commander did not know that he had already walked past the gate of hell, and said to Belkin in an official tone: "Comrade deputy battalion-level political commissar, the dispatch of military columns is arranged by superiors, and I have no right to change it. I advise you. It's better to go back and come back in a month and a half." After saying that, he turned and left.
"Comrade Brigadier, what should we do now?" After the deputy station commander walked away, Belkin let go of Sokov's hand and asked helplessly: "We can't really wait here for a month and a half, right? "
"If you don't want to wait, there is another way." Sokov looked at Belkin and said angrily: "Let our commanders and soldiers walk to Kazan. It's not far anyway, only more than 700 kilometers, and our soldiers are halfway there. We should be able to reach our destination within a month, so we can start long-distance training."
Belkin knew that Sokov was making angry remarks. He asked an infantry brigade with so many recruits to march more than 700 kilometers in half a month. The troops were still not exhausted? He smiled bitterly and said to Sokov: "Comrade Brigade Commander, now is not the time to complain. If you think about it again, do we have any other options?"
Sokov thought for a while, and then said: "How about I call Comrade Chief of General Staff, tell him our situation, and ask him to arrange military formations for us."
After the two reached an agreement, Sokov found a phone in the station office and dialed the switchboard of the General Staff. But after a female operator's voice came from the receiver, Sokov said politely: "Hello, please help me answer the office of General Vasilevsky, Chief of General Staff."
Unexpectedly, as soon as he finished speaking, the other party said coldly: "I'm sorry, you are using a civilian line and cannot communicate with important military units." After saying that, Sokov hung up without giving him a chance to defend himself. Got the phone.
Sokov held the microphone from which the blind tone came, looked at Belkin, and said in a fit of laughter and tears: "Comrade political commissar, the switchboard refuses to transfer the call for us."
Belkin stretched out his hand to Sokov and said: "Comrade Brigade Commander, give me the microphone and I will try it."
Belkin's attempt quickly failed again, as the female operator was unwilling to connect them to the Chief of General Staff's office. After calling twice in a row, it may be that the operator cut off the line on their side and even the switchboard couldn't get through.
The two stood in the office and looked at each other. Belkin put the microphone back on the phone base and asked Sokov with a sad face: "Comrade Brigade Commander, what should we do now? Do we really have to wait 45 days before coming back?"
"Comrade Comrade Political Commissar, do you have any friends in the city?" As soon as Sokov said this, he realized that his expression was not accurate enough, and quickly added: "I mean, do you have any friends in the army who are in Moscow now? Is that so? Since we can’t get through to the General Staff Headquarters, we can only think of other ways.”
Belkin shook his head and said: "Comrade Brigadier, although some of my friends are generals, they are all fighting on the front line and are not in Moscow at all. It is impossible to ask them for help." Goodbye Erkin was also helpless. Sokov walked back and forth in the room with his hands behind his back, thinking about who to find to solve the problem of the military columns.
"Comrade Brigadier, if I remember correctly, you are from Moscow." Belgin asked Sokov, walking back and forth in the room, with a hint of luck: "Do you have any friends who can help us?" ?"
Hearing Belkin mention his friend, a familiar name suddenly appeared in Sokov's mind. He immediately stopped, turned to Belkin and said: "Thank you, Comrade Political Commissar."
Sokov's words made Belkin confused. He asked in confusion: "Comrade Brigadier, what can you thank me for?"
"Comrade Political Commissar, you reminded me. I really have a friend in this city who can communicate directly with Vasilevsky. I will contact him now." After saying that, Sokov walked over At the table, I picked up the phone and started dialing.
As soon as the phone call came through, Sokov said into the phone: "Hello, please help me find Yakov Dzhugashvili! Please tell him that my name is Sokov and I have just returned from the front line."
After a while, Yakov's voice came from the receiver: "Hello, Misha! I am Yakov, where are you?"
"Hello, Yakov!" After Sokov heard Yakov's voice, his mood immediately became relaxed: "I am now at Yaroslavl Railway Station in Moscow."
"Hell, when did you return to Moscow? Why didn't I know?" Yakov learned that Sokov had returned to Moscow and said excitedly: "I will send a car to pick you up immediately."
"No need, Yakov." Seeing Yakov's enthusiasm, Sokov quickly explained his situation to him: "I led the troops to Moscow to transfer to Kazan. But the sub-station of Yaroslav Railway Station The commander told me that the current military queue is full, and it will take 45 days at the earliest before we can arrange for us to ride to Kazan."
"I'm just kidding. If I ask you to wait in Moscow for 45 days, the deputy station director of this station should be dragged out and shot." Yakov then asked: "Is there anything I can do to help you?"
"Yakov, the situation is like this. Our transfer order was arranged by Chief of General Staff Vasilevsky. I learned that I could not leave Moscow as soon as possible. I originally wanted to call him to report the situation, but who knew The operator at the General Staff Headquarters was unwilling to connect me to the Chief of General Staff's office." Sokov asked tentatively: "Yakov, can you help me?"
After Yakov heard Sokov's question, he was silent for a moment, and then said: "Okay, Misha, let me do you this favor. I will call General Vasilevsky now. I believe he will be there soon." Someone will take care of this."
After hanging up the phone, Sokov said to Belkin with a relaxed look: "Okay, Comrade Political Commissar, it won't be long before someone gets up at the station to help us coordinate the military columns."
Belkin looked at Sokov and asked in a suspicious tone: "Comrade Brigade Commander, your friend has such great ability, he can actually call Comrade Chief of General Staff directly?"
"Others may not be able to do it, but he can definitely do it." Sokov did not want to reveal Yakov's identity, but said vaguely: "Let's just sit here and wait. I believe the superiors will send someone to deal with the matter as soon as possible."
About forty minutes later, several soldiers walked in from outside the office. Seeing that the person walking at the front was a major general, Sokov and Belkin could not sit still, so they quickly stood up and saluted each other. After the general returned the salute, he looked at Sokov and asked tentatively: "Are you Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, commander of the 73rd Infantry Brigade?"
"Yes, Comrade General! I am Sokov." Sokov looked at the medium-sized general and asked respectfully: "I don't know what I should call you?"
"I am Major General Antonov, Deputy Chief of the Operations Department of the General Staff." The general replied, "I am here to solve military problems for you on the order of Comrade Chief of General Staff."
The name Antonov may be very common to Belkin. But for Sokov, it was like thunder. The general in front of him was the future chief of staff of the Soviet army. He quickly stood at attention, raised his hand to salute again, and said respectfully: "Hello, General Antonov, nice to meet you!"
"I have heard of you, Comrade Lieutenant Colonel." Antonov pulled Sokov's hand from his forehead, held it tightly in his hand, and said with a smile: "I also feel that I can get to know you. very happy."
