red moscow

Chapter 2646

  Although Sokov answered all Asiya's questions fluently, he still had a question in his mind: how did she know Kalina?

After finally waiting for Asiya's questioning to end and he had finally gotten away with it, Sokov decided to go to Yakov to ask about the situation. After all, he knew Kalina's situation best. Maybe he accidentally let it slip and told Asiya about Kalina's affairs.

Thinking of this, Sokov quickly picked up the phone and called Yakov's office.

Soon, Yakov's voice came from the receiver: "I am Yakov!"

"Yasha, it's me!" Sokov glanced at Asiya, who was reading a book on a nearby sofa, and said cautiously, "Are you free today? I want to talk to you."

"Misha, maybe it won't be possible in the next two days." Yakov said anxiously, "I have too much work recently. I will be busy for at least four or five days. I will come to your house after I finish my work here. Do you think this is okay?"

"Yasha, I'm leaving Moscow in two days." Sokov reminded him, "If you miss me, I'm afraid you'll have to wait a few months before we meet again."

"Where are you going? Europe?" Yakov said into the microphone: "Has Marshal Zhukov decided to send you to participate in this military exercise?"

"Yes, in this exercise, I will command an army group and conduct military exercises in the Vienna area."

"I really envy you." Yakov said with emotion: "I once talked to Marshal Zhukov about this matter, hoping that I could also participate in this military exercise. He agreed at the time, but when it came to allocating personnel, he forgot about me."

After saying this, Yakov paused for a moment and continued, "Misha, I still have a lot of work to do, so I won't chat with you any more. After get off work, I'll go to your house for dinner. Ask Asiya to prepare more food so that we don't have enough to eat."

After hearing this, Sokov laughed and said repeatedly: "Yasha, don't you know that I have hired a chef at home? Not only you, but even if there are ten or eight people, I can guarantee you will have food to eat. Remember, come directly after get off work, we will wait for you to have dinner."

When Sokov hung up the phone, Asiya also put down the book she was reading and said, "Misha, is Yasha coming over for dinner tonight?"

"Yes." Sokov nodded and said, "He will be here after get off work. Ask the chef to prepare a few more dishes. We have to entertain him well. After all, I don't know when I will be back after I leave this time."

Asiya stood up and prepared to go to the kitchen, she suddenly remembered something and turned to Sokov and said, "Misha, your book "An Ordinary Soldier" has been completed for a long time. I wonder when you will send the manuscript to the publisher?"

If Asiya hadn't mentioned this, Sokov would have long forgotten that he had already written "An Ordinary Soldier" and quickly said, "When Yasha comes over in the evening, I will give him the manuscript and ask him to help me find a publishing house to publish it."

"Didn't Yasha say he's very busy recently?" Asiya reminded again, "Even if you give him the manuscript, he probably won't be able to go to the publishing house in a short time."

"What should I do?" Sokov said in embarrassment, "If it really doesn't work, I'll just wait until I come back from Europe and send the manuscript to the publisher."

"I don't think it's necessary to go through so much trouble." Asia said, "Let me handle this matter. I'll find time to send the manuscript to the publisher some other day."

Since Asiya volunteered, Sokov naturally wouldn't refuse: "That's fine."

After dark, Yakov came to Sokov's house as promised.

When he saw Seryosha, he was completely stunned. He turned his head and asked Sokov: "Misha, didn't they say that Seryosha had died in the battle? Where did he come from now?"

"Yasha, Seryosha did not die. He was just wounded and unfortunately captured by the Germans." Sokov quickly explained to Yakov: "After our army liberated the prisoner-of-war camp and rescued him, he was sent to Siberia, where he was reformed through labor. This time when I went to see Lieutenant General Lukin, I happened to meet him and brought him back."

"I see." Yakov nodded, and then asked Sokov: "Misha, how do you plan to place him?"

"I'm going to Europe soon, so I want to take him with me." Sokov said, "Although he can't serve as an officer, he can be a normal soldier."

"That's fine too." Yakov continued, "Which unit did Marshal Zhukov ask you to go to?"

"The 4th Guards Army."

"Oh, it's the 4th Guards Army." Yakov nodded and said, "I happen to know something about that unit. When I was in the Armament Department, I once sent technical equipment to this unit."

"Then tell me what you have to say." Sokov was eager to learn about the situation of the 4th Guards Army. When he heard Yakov say that he knew some inside information, he almost fell asleep. Someone brought him a pillow and he said quickly, "Tell me everything you know."

“1943年5月5日，根据最高统帅部大本营的指示，第24集团军正式改编为近卫第4集团军，下辖近卫步兵第20军、近卫步兵第21军和近卫坦克第3军。

On July 1943, 7, the 3th Guards Army was incorporated into the Supreme Command Headquarters Reserve. On the 4th, it was incorporated into the Steppe Front and participated in the Battle of Kursk. On the 18rd, it was again incorporated into the Supreme Command Headquarters Reserve.

On August 1943, 8, the 13th Guards Army was incorporated into the Voronezh Front and participated in the Belgorod-Kharkov Campaign, during which it advanced the front to near the Dnieper River.

On September 1943, 9, the army was again assigned to the Steppe Front and participated in the Battle of the Dnieper. From November to December, an offensive attempt was launched in the Krivoy Rog direction.

From January to March 1944, the army group participated in the Battle of Kirovograd and the Battle of Korsun-Shevchenkovsky, assisting the friendly forces of the 1st Ukrainian Front and the 3nd Ukrainian Front in completing the encirclement of the enemy.

From March to April 1944, the army participated in the Uman-Botoshani Campaign, where the army crossed the Dniester River and attacked near Chisinau. In August, the army participated in the Iasi-Chisinau Campaign.

On September 1944, 9, the 5th Guards Army withdrew from the front line and was incorporated into the reserve of the Supreme Command Headquarters.

On November 1944, 11, the army was transferred to the Third Ukrainian Front and participated in the Battle of Budapest, which began a month later. In March 3, the army blocked the German counterattack in the Battle of Lake Balaton and the subsequent Battle of Vienna, and its vanguard joined the US Army in Austria.

Sokov chose to ignore what Yakov said before, because Germany had surrendered and the battle with the Germans was no longer of any reference value. What he was most concerned about was where the army group was stationed after joining forces with the US army in Austria.

With this question, he tentatively asked Yakov: "Yakov, do you know where this unit is stationed now?"

"I'm not sure." Yakov shook his head and said, "You know, we have dozens of army groups deployed in Europe now. I haven't paid much attention to them, so how can I know where the army groups are stationed?"

Although he did not get the information he wanted from Yakov, Sokov was not discouraged at all. Anyway, he would go to Vienna in a few days, and it would not be too late to ask him after he met Malinin.

Everyone enjoyed the dinner very much.

After the meal, everyone sat in the living room and drank tea for a while. Seeing that it was almost time, Yakov stood up and said goodbye.

Sokov personally sent him to the door. Just as he was about to drive away, Sokov suddenly leaned close to his ear and whispered, "Yasha, Asiya asked me about Kalina today."

Yakov was also surprised when he heard Sokov say this: "What, Asiya knows about Kalina?"

"I know some, but not all." Sokov asked tentatively, "You told her, didn't you?"

"Misha, am I the kind of person who can't keep a secret?" Yakov said unhappily, "She must have known about this from some other channel. I think you should talk to her about Kalina when the time is right. After all, if someone else is pregnant with your child, it means that your Sokov family will have someone to continue with."

"Now is not the time." Sokov shook his head and said, "You know, Asiya has been in a low mood since her child died, so she has been recuperating at home most of the time. If she knew the truth about Kalina, she would be furious."

"That's true." Yakov nodded and continued, "Don't you have another girl named Adelina in Berlin? Is she pregnant too?"

"No, it shouldn't be." Hearing Yakov mention Adelina again, Sokov became more and more flustered. "I don't think it's such a coincidence that she is pregnant too."

"You are going to Europe soon. As far as I know, it is less than 700 kilometers from Vienna to Berlin. If you take the train, you can get there overnight." Yakov looked at Sokov and asked, "Don't you want to go see Adelina?"

"We'll talk about this later." Sokov said with a wry smile, "I don't know if I can spare the time then."

"If you can go to Berlin, I advise you to go there." Yakov said solemnly: "No one knows whether you will have the opportunity to go again after you leave Europe this time. Even if you can go to Europe again, will Adelina continue to stay in Berlin to work?"

"Okay, Yasha, stop talking." Yakov's words made Sokov feel confused. He waved his hands and said, "Let's talk about these things after I get to Europe. It's too early to talk about these things now."

After seeing Yakov off and returning to the living room, Asiya looked at him and asked, "Why did you and Yasha talk for so long?"

Sokov said perfunctorily: "I'm going to Europe this time, and I don't know when I can come back, so I had to chat with Yasha for a while. It's getting late, you should go to bed early."

……

The next morning, Sokov received a call from Zhukov.

Zhukov asked on the phone: "Misha, Yasha called me and said that she hopes to go to Europe with you. What do you think about this?"

Sokov wanted Yakov to go to Europe with him and serve as his deputy commander or chief of staff so that he could have a reliable helper. But since Zhukov asked this, it was obvious that he didn't want Yakov to go to Europe, so he could only throw the question to Zhukov again: "Comrade Marshal, no matter what decision you make, I will firmly support it."

Zhukov did not expect that Sokov would give him the right to choose again. After thinking for a while, he said, "Although Yasha has served as the chief of staff in the army, his ability is limited and he is not suitable for participating in such military exercises. So, in my opinion, he should not go to Europe."

"Comrade Marshal, you have considered it very carefully." Sokov knew very well that when Yakov was captured by the Germans, he was only an artillery lieutenant. Later, after he was rescued from the prisoner-of-war camp, he was promoted continuously due to various opportunities until he became a general. However, his general lacked real combat experience. If he was allowed to participate in the command of the battle, he might mess things up. Therefore, Sokov firmly agreed with Zhukov's decision: "Perhaps working in the General Armament Department is more suitable for Yasha."

"Misha, since your opinion agrees with mine, I will call Yasha back and tell him that I don't agree with him going to Europe."

"Comrade Marshal, I will abide by your decision."

"Misha." Asiya, who had come to Sokov's side at some point, asked as soon as Sokov hung up the phone, "Misha, why don't you agree to let Yasha go to Europe with you? You know, you are good friends. If he can serve as your deputy, it will be very helpful for your work."

"Ashiya, although I hope Yasha can go to Europe with me, but didn't you hear that Marshal Zhukov himself didn't want him to go?"

"I, I didn't hear it."

"In fact, this is exactly where Marshal Zhukov is smart." Sokov explained to Asia: "When he received Yasha's call, he did not give the other party an accurate answer immediately, but said that he would think about it. He just wanted to buy himself some buffer time. You also know that Yasha has a special identity. If Marshal Zhukov directly rejected him, he might directly bring up his father. At that time, Marshal Zhukov might have to change his mind and let him go to Europe to participate in the largest post-war exercise."

After listening to Sokov's explanation, Asiya was still skeptical: "Since he doesn't want Yasha to go to Europe, he can just find a reason to refuse in a few days. Why did he call you? Isn't this unnecessary?"

"I think if Marshal Zhukov told Yasha that after the General Staff's study, they did not agree with his going to Europe," Sokov continued, "after Yasha knew the news, he would definitely call me to tell me about it, and I would tell him about Marshal Zhukov's call. In this way, Yasha would mistakenly think that Marshal Zhukov had made some efforts for him to go to Europe, but for various reasons, he was unable to make his wish come true. Even if he felt disappointed, he would not complain that Marshal Zhukov was unkind."

(End of this chapter)