Two guards came to the major, raised their hands and saluted, "Comrade Major, what are your instructions?"
The major pointed towards the tent by the river and ordered the two of them: "Go and carry that tent over."
Although the two of them did not understand the reason why the major did this, their long-term habit of obedience still allowed them to run to the tent without any complaints, and prepared to move it to the location where Marshal Zhukov was fishing according to the major's order.
While the major was leading people to move the tent, Sokov and Asiya strolled up behind Zhukov and greeted with a smile: "Comrade Marshal, how many fish have you caught?"
Zhukov said he was fishing, but in fact he was holding a fishing rod and staring at the hole in the ice in front of him in a daze. At this moment, someone spoke behind him and interrupted his contemplation, which made him feel very dissatisfied. He frowned and looked back, wanting to scold this uninvited guest.
But what caught his eyes was Sokov's familiar face. A look of astonishment flashed across his face, "Misha, why is it you?" After saying that, he tried to stand up, but because he was sitting too high, After a long time, both legs became numb and I couldn't stand up for a while.
Sokov quickly stretched out his hand to support him and said with a smile: "Comrade Marshal, the ice is too slippery. Don't get up too fast. Be careful of falling."
With Sokov's help, Zhukov stood up straight and asked in surprise: "Misha, why are you here?"
"I heard that you were sick, so I came here to see you." After Sokov briefly stated the reason for his visit, he continued to ask: "Comrade Marshal, how many fish did you catch today?"
"Only five or six." Zhukov pointed at a few fish thrown near the ice hole and said, "Just right to entertain you."
Looking at the major and guards carrying the tent over, Zhukov couldn't help but frowned again, "What are they doing and why are they carrying the tent here?"
"Comrade Marshal," Sokov quickly explained to Zhukov: "I saw that the weather was too cold and you could easily get cold and sick while fishing on the ice like this, so I took it upon myself to ask the major to carry the tent over so that you could sit on it. Fishing in the tent.”
"Sitting in a tent and fishing?!" Zhukov asked in confusion, "How do you fish in a tent?"
"It's very simple, Comrade Marshal." Sokov continued: "Let the major set up a tent here later. After setting up, the ice hole will be in the middle of the tent, and you can sit in it and fish. Fishing in the tent The biggest advantage is that there is no northwest wind, and if you put in kitchen utensils, you can directly process the fish you just caught.”
After Zhukov listened, he thought about it carefully, nodded and said, "Misha, your idea is really good. Why have I never thought of it?"
Soon, the major and his men carried the tent over and re-erected it near the ice cave.
After the tent was set up, Zhukov walked in and took a look. He felt very satisfied: "It's good, it's much warmer in the tent, and it doesn't affect my fishing." He walked out of the tent and said to the major standing outside, "Major Comrade, there won’t be many people staying in this tent, so you can go find another tent and pitch it next to it.”
"Yes, Comrade Marshal, I will send someone to get the tent right away."
Sokov walked into the tent and felt that although it was warmer than outside, it was still cold. If he had been sitting here fishing with Zhukov, he would probably be frozen. So he tentatively said: "Comrade Marshal, I think it can still be done here." Put a layer of wood in the tent and put a heating stove, so it will be warmer."
"It makes sense, it makes sense." Regarding Sokov's proposal, Zhukov readily agreed. He told the major who had not yet left: "Major, bring some more boards and a heating stove so that the tent can be warmer. .”
"Comrade Marshal, do you want one stove or two stoves?"
"You must bring at least two heating stoves." Zhukov said: "Don't you need heating in the tent you are staying in?"
"Understood, Comrade Marshal, I'll go and do it immediately." The major was worried that he wouldn't be able to take so many things, so he called two guards and returned to the villa with him.
Zhukov sat down next to the ice hole and continued fishing. After fishing for a while, he said: "Misha, I have been here for several days, and you are the only one who has come to visit me."
Sokov secretly said that human nature is cold and warm. Seeing Zhukov lose power, no one is willing to visit him. But I can think about this in my mind, but I can't say it out loud. He chuckled, and then said: "Comrade Marshal, it may be that it's been very cold outside recently, and everyone is reluctant to go out. When the weather gets warmer, I might come to see you. There was an endless stream of people.”
Zhukov is well aware of his situation. He is now idle. Many friends and old subordinates will not visit him at all because they are worried about being implicated. It was an unexpected surprise to see Sokov here today, but out of love for him, he still asked worriedly: "Misha, you brought Asiya to visit me today, so you don't have to worry about being implicated. ?"
"What's there to worry about?" Sokov knew that everyone can add icing on the cake, but not many people can do it when it's time for help. He came to visit Zhukov when he was in the most difficult situation, and he would definitely leave a deep impression on him. He grinned and said: "I am not here to visit some Soviet marshal, but to visit my father's friend, an elder who has always cared and loved me. I don't think anyone will make a fuss about this matter."
What Sokov said made Zhukov feel very comfortable. He smiled slightly and said: "Misha, if someone really wants to make a fuss about this matter, even if you are here to visit your parents, I'm afraid they will Getting into unnecessary trouble.”
"Comrade Marshal," Sokov felt the need to dispel Zhukov's concerns, lest he drive him away in order to protect himself: "Your situation is only temporary. I believe it won't be long before you will come back to take charge of the overall situation. of."
Zhukov heard what Sokov said, put down the fishing rod in his hand, turned to stare at Sokov, and asked with interest: "Misha, why do you think so?"
"Now our army has changed from a strategic stalemate stage to a strategic offensive." Sokov replied calmly: "To ensure the success of the offensive strategy, we must have an excellent commander to command our army. And you, undoubtedly is the best candidate.”
"I don't think it's realistic." Zhukov smiled bitterly and shook his head: "I can't even contact the army now, how can I command offensive operations on all fronts?"
"Comrade Marshal, you don't have to worry about this." Sokov organized the vocabulary in his mind and continued: "I think you will be able to return to the frontline to command the troops at the end of February or early March at the most."
After hearing this, Zhukov showed a surprised expression on his face: "Misha, tell me, on what basis did you come to such a conclusion?"
"Comrade Marshal, do you know the combat situation of our army in the Cherkasy area?"
"I know." Even though Zhukov has not personally commanded the troops for more than a year, as a representative of the base camp stationed on the front line, he is very familiar with the Korson-Shepchenkovsky battle near Cherkasy. He understood very well, nodded, and then asked: "What, is there any problem?"
"If the only troops besieging the ten divisions of the German army are General Konev's Ukrainian Second Front, then there is great hope of annihilating this enemy." Sokov said cautiously: "But now those who are participating in the siege, There is also the First Ukrainian Front of General Vatutin. I think that in the end of this battle, it is very likely that a considerable number of enemies broke through successfully because the cooperation between the two fronts was not perfect."
Two guards came to the major, raised their hands and saluted, "Comrade Major, what are your instructions?"
The major pointed towards the tent by the river and ordered the two of them: "Go and carry that tent over."
Although the two of them did not understand the reason why the major did this, their long-term habit of obedience still made them run to the tent without any complaints, and prepared to move it to the location where Marshal Zhukov was fishing according to the major's order.
While the major was leading people to move the tent, Sokov and Asiya strolled up behind Zhukov and greeted with a smile: "Comrade Marshal, how many fish have you caught?"
Zhukov said he was fishing, but in fact he was holding a fishing rod and staring at the hole in the ice in front of him in a daze. At this moment, someone spoke behind him and interrupted his contemplation, which made him feel very dissatisfied. He frowned and looked back, wanting to scold this uninvited guest.
But what caught his eyes was Sokov's familiar face. A look of astonishment flashed across his face, "Misha, why is it you?" After saying that, he tried to stand up, but because he was sitting too high, After a long time, both legs became numb and I couldn't stand up for a while.
Sokov quickly stretched out his hand to support him and said with a smile: "Comrade Marshal, the ice is too slippery. Don't get up too fast. Be careful of falling."
With Sokov's help, Zhukov stood up straight and asked in surprise: "Misha, why are you here?"
"I heard that you were sick, so I came here to see you." After Sokov briefly stated the reason for his visit, he continued to ask: "Comrade Marshal, how many fish did you catch today?"
"Only five or six." Zhukov pointed at a few fish thrown near the ice hole and said, "Just right to entertain you."
Looking at the major and guards carrying the tent over, Zhukov couldn't help but frowned again, "What are they doing and why are they carrying the tent here?"
"Comrade Marshal," Sokov quickly explained to Zhukov: "I saw that the weather was too cold and you could easily get cold and sick while fishing on the ice like this, so I took it upon myself to ask the major to carry the tent over so that you could sit on it. Fishing in the tent.”
"Sitting in a tent and fishing?!" Zhukov asked in confusion, "How do you fish in a tent?"
"It's very simple, Comrade Marshal." Sokov continued: "Let the major set up a tent here later. After setting up, the ice hole will be in the middle of the tent, and you can sit in it and fish. Fishing in the tent The biggest advantage is that there is no northwest wind, and if you put in kitchen utensils, you can directly process the fish you just caught.”
After Zhukov listened, he thought about it carefully, nodded and said, "Misha, your idea is really good. Why have I never thought of it?"
Soon, the major and his men carried the tent over and re-erected it near the ice cave.
After the tent was set up, Zhukov walked in and took a look. He felt very satisfied: "It's good, it's much warmer in the tent, and it doesn't affect my fishing." He walked out of the tent and said to the major standing outside, "Major Comrade, there won’t be many people staying in this tent, so you can go find another tent and pitch it next to it.”
"Yes, Comrade Marshal, I will send someone to get the tent right away."
Sokov walked into the tent and felt that although it was warmer than outside, it was still cold. If he had been sitting here fishing with Zhukov, he would probably be frozen, so he tentatively said: "Comrade Marshal, I think it can still be done here." Put a layer of wood in the tent and put a heating stove, so it will be warmer."
"It makes sense, it makes sense." Regarding Sokov's proposal, Zhukov readily agreed. He told the major who had not yet left: "Major, bring some more boards and a heating stove so that the tent can be warmer. .”
"Comrade Marshal, do you want one stove or two stoves?"
"You must bring at least two heating stoves." Zhukov said: "Don't you need heating in the tent you are staying in?"
"Understood, Comrade Marshal, I'll go take care of it immediately." The major was worried that he wouldn't be able to take so many things, so he called two guards and returned to the villa with him.
Zhukov sat down next to the ice hole and continued fishing. After fishing for a while, he said: "Misha, I have been here for several days, and you are the only one who has come to visit me."
Sokov secretly said that human nature is cold and warm. Seeing Zhukov lose power, no one is willing to visit him. But I can think about this in my mind, but I can't say it out loud. He chuckled, and then said: "Comrade Marshal, it may be that it's been very cold outside recently, and everyone is reluctant to go out. When the weather gets warmer, I might come to see you. There was an endless stream of people.”
Zhukov is well aware of his situation. He is now idle. Many friends and old subordinates will not visit him at all because they are worried about being implicated. It was an unexpected surprise to see Sokov here today, but out of love for him, he still asked worriedly: "Misha, you brought Asiya to visit me today, so you don't have to worry about being implicated. ?"
"There's nothing to worry about." Sokov knew that everyone can add icing on the cake, but not many people can do it when it's time for help. He came to visit Zhukov when he was in the most difficult situation, and he would definitely leave a deep impression on him. He grinned and said: "I am not here to visit some Soviet marshal, but to visit my father's friend, an elder who has always cared and loved me. I don't think anyone will make a fuss about this matter."
What Sokov said made Zhukov feel very comfortable. He smiled slightly and said: "Misha, if someone really wants to make a fuss about this matter, even if you are here to visit your parents, I'm afraid they will Getting into unnecessary trouble.”
"Comrade Marshal," Sokov felt the need to dispel Zhukov's concerns, lest he drive him away in order to protect himself: "Your situation is only temporary. I believe it won't be long before you will come back to take charge of the overall situation. of."
