More than ten kilometers north of Moziri and Karinkovic, although the elite German 4th and 9th Army troops were stationed, as the coldest January came, the enemy was huddled in their defense zone, and there was no sign of their preparation for a counterattack. But I dared not take it lightly and deployed half of the troops in the north of the city.

The weather is cold, and the biggest advantage is that the roads are frozen. The originally unpassable rivers and swamp areas not only allow trucks to transport supplies, but even tanks and armored vehicles to pass through. At the same time, the railway between the two cities and Rilobin was also restored, and a steady stream of supplies entered our defense zone through railways and highways.

Seeing more and more supplies in the city, Kirillov smiled on his face, and he even asked me: "Comrade Commander, since our supplies are so sufficient, please raise the rationing standards for residents a little more. Anyway, in two days, the rationing certificate system will be implemented for one month."

"Okay," I knew that just a few hundred grams of bread a day would only keep people from starving to death, so I readily agreed to his request, and said to Kirillov: "In addition to bread and cheese, I suggest adding salt, sugar and meat. In particular, salt must be distributed to every resident in a timely manner."

The reason why I put the issue of salt is that Russia's salt is very widely used in daily life. No matter what I eat, I have the habit of putting a little salt. Even the most solemn etiquette that welcomes guests is a round bread and a plate of salt.

"Lida, you're right." Kirillov immediately agreed to my proposal, and he continued: "I counted it. There are currently about ten tons in the city, which fully meets the needs of the residents."

After he finished speaking, I said with gratitude: "Fortunately we don't have cavalry now, otherwise we would have to provide a batch of salt for the horses. At the same time, the hay, bean cakes, etc. needed by the horses also need to be transported from the rear."

"The ruins in the city have been basically cleaned up." After I finished speaking, Kirillov continued to say: "The vast majority of residents have moved into simple houses we built for them, or have cleaned up old houses. A few homeless residents have also moved into the tents we prepared for them. Now each household can collect one kilogram of coal every day for heating."

When I heard Kirillov say that residents use coal to keep warm, I quickly reminded him: "Comrade Military Commissioner, please tell the residents that the remaining charcoal residues burned should not be thrown away, and should be piled up in a unified place at our designated location."

Regarding my arrangement, Kirillov immediately understood and said, "I understand, Lida, are you planning to pave these charcoal residues on the road when spring thaws to facilitate the mobilization of our troops?"

"That's right, that's it." Thinking of the poor road conditions of Russia's sunny and rainy days, I smiled bitterly and said, "I just plan to use these charcoal slags to pave the way. I can't hope that our armored troops will not be able to cooperate with infantry combat due to road conditions when the Spring Festival is thawed."

"I have been running back and forth in two cities over the past month," Kirillov asked curiously after pointing out his busy work, "Is there any movement from my superiors?"

"What's the noise?" January and February are the coldest months of the year, and the lowest temperature can reach minus 50 degrees Celsius. Not to mention that the Germans can't stand it, even our own commanders and soldiers are in a state of truce. So when I heard this question from Kirillov, I couldn't help but ask: "In such cold weather, what order do you think your superiors will give us?"

"Comrade of the Military Commission," said Chisdakov, who had just returned to the command after the supervision troops completed the railway and returned to the command center. "In such cold weather, our troops cannot attack the enemy, so the order given to us by our superiors is to strengthen the defense work in the Moziri and Kalingkovic areas."

"Oh oh oh, so that's it." After saying this, Kirillov stood up and said to me, "Okay, Lida, I will rush to the city immediately to arrange the adjustment of residents' quota, and at the same time, I will organize people to deliver the salt stockpiled at the railway station to various ration points."

I got up and shook hands with him, and said politely: "Be careful on the road!"

After Kirillov left, I asked Bezikov: "Chief of Staff, did the superior say when will we replenish troops? Now, except for the 77th Guards Division, the rest of the divisions are short of nearly half of the personnel..."

Before I could finish my words, Major Bukov, who was working outside the door, walked in and reported to me: "Comrade Commander, a general came outside and said he wanted to see you."

"General?" When I heard Bukov say this, I thought it was a division commander under my commander, so I asked casually: "I don't know which division commander is from?"

"I am not the commander of our army." Bukov replied: "I have accompanied you to the grassroots troops so many times. I know all the generals in the army, but I have never seen this general before."

I heard that a general whom Bukov didn't know was coming. I guessed that Rokosovsky might have sent some orders to convey, so I said: "Major, please come in."

Seeing Bukov walking towards the door, Chisdakov couldn't help but say to himself: "Who will come?"

My eyes looked at the entrance of the church, and at the same time I said, "Comrade Deputy Commander, don't worry, we will know who it is soon."

As soon as I finished speaking, Bukov walked towards us with a general. The person who came was a tall and thin man who looked a little kind-hearted. I seemed to have seen him somewhere before.

Before I could remember where I had seen each other, the general had arrived at our table, raised his hand and saluted, and said to me: "Comrade Commander, Major General Belloborodov, the commander of the Second Guard Infantry Army, reported to you!"

"So it's you, Comrade General." When I heard him telling him his house, I suddenly remembered who he was. We were both members of the 16th Army during the Moscow Defense War. Beloborodov was a colonel at that time, and was the commander of the 78th Infantry Division from Siberia. Later, because of the outstanding performance of the troops in the battle, he was adapted into the 9th Guards Division. I stepped forward and held his hand and said excitedly: "I really didn't expect that I could see you here after two years of separation!"

"Comrade Commander," he said politely, holding my hand, "I didn't expect that in two years we would become General Rokosovsky's subordinates again."

After I let go of Beloborodov's hand, I explained to Chisdakov and Bezikov who were standing beside me: "I'll introduce you to you. This General Beloborodov led the 78th Infantry Division from Siberia to participate in the battle to defend Moscow. Because of his outstanding military achievements, he was awarded the title of the Ninth Guard Division."

After introducing Chisdakov to Chisdakov, I introduced Chisdakov and Bezikov to Beloborodov, and finally said, "It's a pity that you're a step late, otherwise you'll be able to meet Comrade Kirillov, a military committee member of the Army."

When Beloborodov heard me say this, he just smiled and said, "It doesn't matter, our army has been placed under the command of the Sixth Army of Guards, and we will see it sooner or later."

"General Belloborodov, you just said that your troops were under our command. What's going on?" As soon as Belloborodov finished speaking, Belloborodov looked at me and Chisdakov and asked curiously: "Why didn't the superior notify us?"

"Chief of Staff, you are so anxious." When I saw Bezikov rushing to break the casserole, I quickly stopped him, "Didn't you see General Beloborodov still standing? If you have anything, ask when he sits down."

"That's right, comrade Commander is right, so sit down and say." After Bezikov finished speaking, he smiled and made a call to Beloborodov: "General Beloborodov, please sit down."

After Beloborodov sat down, I first asked, "General Beloborodov, how many divisions are there in your army?"

"Comrade Commander, I have three divisions in my division, namely the 9th Guard Division, the 46th Guard Division, and the 166th Infantry Division." Beloborodov reported to me: "Each division is three infantry regiments and two artillery regiments, each with eight thousand men. Together with the army's direct troops, the entire army has a total of 26,000 people."

"Twenty-six thousand." Hearing this number, Bejikov immediately said to me with his eyes lit up: "Comrade Commander, there are so many troops. In this way, the strength of our army can be greatly improved."

I nodded, thinking that I had not received any notice from my superiors in the past two days, and no one reported that a large army was approaching us, so I continued to ask: "Where is your army?"

"It's still in Jirobin." Beloborodov said to me with a smile: "I came here by train with a few guards to report to you."

My eyes looked at the entrance of the church, and at the same time I said, "Comrade Deputy Commander, don't worry, we will know who it is soon."

As soon as I finished speaking, Bukov walked towards us with a general. The person who came was a tall and thin man who looked a little kind-hearted. I seemed to have seen him somewhere before.

Before I could remember where I had seen each other, the general had arrived at our table, raised his hand and saluted, and said to me: "Comrade Commander, Major General Belloborodov, the commander of the Second Guard Infantry Army, reported to you!"

"So it's you, Comrade General." When I heard him telling him his house, I suddenly remembered who he was. We were both members of the 16th Army during the Moscow Defense War. Beloborodov was a colonel at that time, and was the commander of the 78th Infantry Division from Siberia. Later, because of the outstanding performance of the troops in the battle, he was adapted into the 9th Guards Division. I stepped forward and held his hand and said excitedly: "I really didn't expect that I could see you here after two years of separation!"

"Comrade Commander," he said politely, holding my hand, "I didn't expect that in two years we would become General Rokosovsky's subordinates again."

After I let go of Beloborodov's hand, I explained to Chisdakov and Bezikov who were standing beside me: "I'll introduce you to you. This General Beloborodov led the 78th Infantry Division from Siberia to participate in the battle to defend Moscow. Because of his outstanding military achievements, he was awarded the title of the Ninth Guard Division."

After introducing Chisdakov to Chisdakov, I introduced Chisdakov and Bezikov to Beloborodov, and finally said, "It's a pity that you're a step late, otherwise you'll be able to meet Comrade Kirillov, a military committee member of the Army."

When Beloborodov heard me say this, he just smiled and said, "It doesn't matter, our army has been placed under the command of the Sixth Army of Guards, and we will see it sooner or later."

"General Belloborodov, you just said that your troops were under our command. What's going on?" As soon as Belloborodov finished speaking, Belloborodov looked at me and Chisdakov and asked curiously: "Why didn't the superior notify us?"

"Chief of Staff, you are so anxious." When I saw Bezikov rushing to break the casserole, I quickly stopped him, "Didn't you see General Beloborodov still standing? If you have anything, ask when he sits down."

"That's right, comrade Commander is right, so sit down and say." After Bezikov finished speaking, he smiled and made a call to Beloborodov: "General Beloborodov, please sit down."

After Beloborodov sat down, I first asked, "General Beloborodov, how many divisions are there in your army?"

"Comrade Commander, I have three divisions in my division, namely the 9th Guard Division, the 46th Guard Division, and the 166th Infantry Division." Beloborodov reported to me: "Each division is three infantry regiments and two artillery regiments, each with eight thousand men. Together with the army's direct troops, the entire army has a total of 26,000 people."

"Twenty-six thousand." Hearing this number, Bejikov immediately said to me with his eyes lit up: "Comrade Commander, there are so many troops. In this way, the strength of our army can be greatly improved."

I nodded, thinking that I had not received any notice from my superiors in the past two days, and no one reported that a large army was approaching us, so I continued to ask: "Where is your army?"

"It's still in Jirobin." Beloborodov said to me with a smile: "I came here by train with a few guards to report to you."

Although I heard that the troops were still several hundred kilometers away, I was not in a hurry at all. Instead, I asked another question I was concerned about: "General Belloborodov, why did the Front Command notify us of the news you are coming?" (To be continued.)
Chapter completed!