Burning Moscow

Chapter 991: Reunion with an Old Friend Zhukov’s words left me puzzled; I couldn’t understand why he was suddenly saying this to me. “Doesn’t he realize by now that the troops under my command are all hastily assembled? We’re severely short not only of skilled commanders but even of soldiers with combat experience.” I thought to myself, feeling aggrieved, “If I were equipped with elite troops, I could stay in headquarters every day, directing the troops based on maps and battle reports, instead of having to risk my life by rushing to the front lines at the slightest provocation.” But before I could speak, a smile spread across Zhukov’s tense face: “You’re a fine one, Lida. That’s exactly what I wanted to tell you. For your performance in Ukraine and the victories you’ve achieved, you deserve the honor you’ve earned.” ” I recalled a telegram Zhukov had sent earlier, mentioning that Rebalko and I were to be awarded the “Gold Star Medal” and the title of “Hero of the Soviet Union.” I immediately stood at attention and said, in accordance with protocol, “To serve the Soviet Motherland!” Unexpectedly, Zhukov waved his hand and said with a smile, “There’s no point in saying that to me now, because the awarding of honors isn’t under my jurisdiction.” ” Perhaps noticing the look of astonishment on my face, he added, “Your award ceremony will take place tomorrow morning, and a member of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet will present the award to you.” Zhukov’s words once again left me speechless. I asked in astonishment, “What? Comrade Marshal, what did you say? A member of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet will present the award to me—isn’t it supposed to be you?” “That’s correct. To honor your achievements, the scale of this award was decided by the Supreme Commander himself.” Upon hearing this, Zhukov replied with a smile, “The ceremony will take place right here in the Kremlin.” “And after the ceremony?” Although I knew I would be receiving the highest honor in the Kremlin, I could not muster any joy, for I was well aware of the fate that awaited me next. So I cautiously asked, “ “Will I still return to Kiev to command the troops?” Zhukov shook his head and replied, “Returning to Kiev is unlikely. The Dnieper Front Group was established as a temporary formation, and once its mission is complete, it will be disbanded. As for your future assignment, the Supreme Commander himself has asked me to consult with you: would you be willing to transfer to a non-combat role? After all, the front lines are too dangerous; it is not suitable for a woman to remain there long-term.” “Comrade Marshal, I don’t think administrative work suits me very well.” After giving Zhukov my honest answer, I continued along those lines to express my views: “Since the outbreak of the war, I have been stationed at the front almost continuously. In other words, I have grown accustomed to this life of war. If I were to return to the rear, I might not be able to adjust.” “If you can’t adjust, you can always adapt gradually.” Upon hearing my reply, a hint of displeasure flashed across Zhukov’s face. “None of us has the right to keep a young mother in a place that is meant for men.” “But, Comrade Marshal…” No sooner had I opened my mouth than Zhukov raised his hand to cut me off: “Enough, don’t say another word. This is an order issued by the Supreme Commander himself; it must be carried out—there is no room for negotiation.” After saying this, he softened his tone and continued, “If I recall correctly, your husband and child are still alive. If you work in the rear, you’ll be able to reunite with your family.” ” Hearing Zhukov mention Oshanin, my heart gave a start. If there was one thing I feared most since my time travel, it was coming into contact with the husband of the real Lida; every time I inadvertently thought of his name, I felt uneasy all over. Seeing that I remained silent, Zhukov continued, “Lida, think it over carefully! This is special consideration from our superiors. ” Under these circumstances, if I stubbornly went against his wishes, I would likely offend Zhukov. I recalled that Oshanin had been wounded during the Battle of Moscow and sent to the rear, after which all contact was lost. As long as I couldn’t get in touch with him, there would be no risk of my cover being blown. With this in mind, I feigned hesitation and said, “Comrade Marshal, but I have absolutely no idea where my husband and son are right now.” “You don’t know their whereabouts?” My answer startled Zhukov, and he asked curiously, “Have you had no contact with them since we met on the outskirts of Moscow last time?” “That’s right, Comrade Marshal,” I explained to Zhukov. “After Oshanin was wounded in the fighting on the outskirts of Moscow, he was sent to the rear, and we lost contact after that.” “And you haven’t heard from him since then?” Zhukov asked in astonishment. “Hasn’t he ever written to you from a hospital in the rear?” I shrugged my shoulders and said with a look of grievance, “Comrade Marshal, as you know, ever since the Battle of Moscow ended, I’ve been constantly transferred from one unit to another. First the Leningrad Front, then the Volkhov Front, followed by the Stalingrad Front, and most recently the Southwestern Front…” “Right, right, you’re absolutely right.” Before I could finish, Zhukov kept nodding and said, “Over the past year or so, you’ve indeed served in quite a few units. It really has been quite difficult to get in touch with you. By the way, what about your son? Have you found him?” ” In response to Zhukov’s question, I nodded and said firmly, “Yes, Comrade Marshal. During the breakout from Lyuban, I unexpectedly encountered my son Alik in a village—he had wandered there.” “Wandered there?!” Zhukov repeated my words and asked in puzzlement, “Why would your son be in the Lyuban area? Wasn’t he accompanied by an adult—a relative or friend, for example?” “Before I enlisted, I entrusted my son, Alik, to my mother.” I looked at Zhukov and told him the true story of Lida’s family: “She had made her way to Leningrad with the child. Because food was scarce in the city, my mother evacuated with him to the outskirts. In a village near Lyuban, she fell seriously ill and passed away shortly afterward, leaving Alik all alone.” “Where is the boy now?” Zhukov asked with concern. I shook my head and replied again, “At the time, the unit I commanded was being redeployed, so I entrusted my son to a female medic who had been sent to the rear due to her injuries, asking her to take the child to a safe place.” Zhukov opened his notebook, picked up a pencil from the table, and asked, “What is your son’s name, and what is the name of the female medic who took him away?” “My son’s name is Alik, and the female medic is Nina; she was with the Volkhov Front.” I answered Zhukov’s questions truthfully, then went on to make a request: “Comrade Marshal, could you please look into Oshanin’s whereabouts?” “No problem.” ” After jotting down the last entry in his notebook, Zhukov readily agreed: “I’ll have the comrades in the medical department look into this for you. I’m sure it won’t be long before you hear good news.” Having said all I needed to say, I stood silently before Zhukov, waiting for his next order. Zhukov looked up at me, furrowed his brow in thought, then picked up the phone on the desk and said into the receiver: “ “Lieutenant, come in.” With that, he hung up the phone. The door to the detention room suddenly swung open. The duty lieutenant stood ramrod straight at the doorway, awaiting Zhukov’s orders. Zhukov took a few steps toward him and instructed, “Lieutenant, arrange for a driver to take General Oshanina to the hotel.” “Yes, sir!” the lieutenant replied, remaining at attention. After shaking hands with Zhukov and thanking him, I was about to walk over to the lieutenant. Suddenly, he called out from behind me, “Oh, by the way, Lida, I’ll send someone to pick you up for the medal ceremony tomorrow morning.” I turned around, smiled, and nodded my thanks, then quickened my pace toward the door. The lieutenant led me to the parking lot outside the building, walked straight up to a jeep with a driver, greeted the man, and ordered him: “ “Comrade Sergeant, you are in charge of taking Comrade General to the hotel.” Upon hearing the order, the driver quickly stepped out of the cab, opened the rear door for me, and invited me to get in. After thanking the lieutenant and the driver, I bent down and climbed into the vehicle. When the jeep pulled up at the entrance of the nearby hotel, a smile involuntarily spread across my face, as I had been here several times before. After thanking the driver, I pushed open the door, stepped out, and walked straight toward the hotel’s main entrance. As soon as I walked through the entrance, a female commander wearing a wide-brimmed hat approached me. She greeted me politely, saying: “ “Hello, Comrade Commander. Is there anything I can do to assist you?” Her voice sounded very familiar to me. I looked closely and realized it was Liu Da, the person in charge here. Glancing at the new rank insignia on her shoulder, I saw she had been promoted to second lieutenant. Smiling, I said, “What’s the matter, Second Lieutenant Liu Da? Don’t you recognize me?” Hearing me greet her so familiarly, she was taken aback at first and couldn’t help but look me up and down. After staring for a while, she still shook her head and said regretfully, “I’m sorry, Comrade General, I don’t think I recognize you.” Hearing her say that, I couldn’t help but feel a slight pang of disappointment. I took off my helmet, stepped back, spread my arms wide, and said with a touch of resignation, “Liu Da, take a closer look. Do you really not recognize me?” “Lida, it’s Lida.” Before Liu Da could react, a young female soldier suddenly ran over from the side. She threw herself at me and gave me a big hug. At the same time, she exclaimed, “Lida, I never thought you were still alive. This is wonderful, just wonderful.” ” I wrapped my arms around the young female soldier in front of me and said, “Aksara, it’s been a long time. How have you been?” The female soldier hugging me was Aksara, the waitress from the inn. She hadn’t expected to run into me at a time like this, so she was particularly emotional. Choking back tears, she said, “ “Lida, dear Lida, I thought you had been killed in action. It’s so wonderful to see you again.” Meanwhile, Liu Da, who had remained silent, finally realized who I was after seeing Akshara’s reaction. She stood beside us, forcing a smile, and said, “I’m sorry, Comrade General. It’s been so long since you last stayed at our hotel that we didn’t recognize you right away. Please forgive us!” ”