Sokov's feet stepped out of the command post's door, suddenly remembered an important thing, and hurriedly retreated, turned to the deputy commander: "Do you have wine here?"
"Wine?!" Hearing Sokov's question, the deputy commander asked in surprise: "Comrade Commander, what do you want to drink?"
"What are you doing? Of course you are drinking."
"Aren't you going to preside over the exchange ceremony?" the chief of staff asked in confusion: "If you drink alcohol, you won't be able to make trouble, right?"
"I am planning to entertain the German commander to drink," Sokov urged: "If you have any wine, take it out quickly. By the way, take out any other items for drinking together."
The deputy commander hesitated for a moment, walked to the wall, took out a silver wine pot from the cloth hanging on the wall, and handed it to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, this is the wine I asked someone to bring from Moscow, and I have never had the chance to drink it yet."
The Chief of Staff was familiar with the deputy commander, so he knew that his wine pot was filled with good wine. He took it out to entertain the Germans, feeling worthless for him, and couldn't help but say, "Comrade Deputy Commander, these are all good wines you asked someone to bring. How can you use them to entertain our enemies?"
The deputy commander glanced at Sokov, and a bitter expression appeared on his face: "Since the commander gave the order, I can only implement it unconditionally."
Sokov saw the resistance of the two and knew that if they didn't explain the matter clearly, they might feel a grudge. He smiled and explained to them: "Do you think I really want to invite a German to drink?"
The two of them showed disbelief expressions on their faces. You both said that you were going to entertain the German commander with our wine, but at this moment they said that they didn't really want to entertain the enemy. Who are you lying to?
"I have just told you that the enemy used so many wounded soldiers to exchange Horadolph's body to delay their entry into the position, and then after they returned to the defense zone with the coffin, they would cover our position with artillery fire." Sokov continued: "If we want to buy enough time for our wounded soldiers, we must find a way to hold the enemy back. As long as the German army who came to collect the coffin did not return, the enemy would not start shelling."
The Chief of Staff, who was originally dissatisfied with Sokov, immediately realized that he had misunderstood Sokov and blushed and said with a blushing face: "Comrade Commander, it's not okay to have wine or not. I immediately ordered the kitchen team to prepare some wine and dishes for you."
"If you want to drink, you must prepare a table and a stool." The deputy head of the group also echoed: "I will arrange for someone to move the table and a stool to the exchange location immediately."
When the commander of the 564th Regiment saw Sokov appear, he showed a surprised expression on his face. He thought to himself that he would preside over the exchange ceremony, why did the commander come? Especially behind the commander, there were several soldiers carrying the table and stool, which made him even more puzzled.
After the commander stepped forward to salute Sokov, he asked in surprise: "Comrade Commander, what are you doing with these things?"
Samoilov found a slightly flat position and asked someone to set the table and stools, and then ordered the soldiers of the kitchen to put all kinds of food on the table one by one.
Seeing this, the regiment commander became even more puzzled: "Comrade Commander, who are you planning to entertain?"
Sokov slowly moved the convertible bucket car to the distance with the wounded, and said, "It's the German commander in that car. I plan to invite him to have two drinks. Since I want to drink, I will ask your kitchen team to prepare some food."
"Comrade Commander," the commander's face appeared with anger when he heard Sokov say this: "That's our enemy, why do you want them to drink? Is this appropriate to do it?"
"There is nothing wrong, comrade Lieutenant Colonel." Sokov didn't say anything, and Samoilov, who was standing beside him, said, "Have you noticed that there is something wrong with these soldiers who the enemy uses to exchange with us?"
The regiment commander glanced at the approaching prisoner-of-war team and said casually: "I saw that the soldiers the enemy used to slow us down were basically all wounded."
Seeing that the regiment commander also noticed this, Sokov continued to ask: "Tell me, how much time will it take to transfer so many wounded and sick people into your position?"
After calculating in his heart, the leader carefully replied: "I think it will take half an hour at the earliest."
"If we were relocating the wounded, the enemy suddenly and unexpectedly carried out fierce shelling on your regiment's position. How many of these wounded people would survive, and how heavy will your regiment pay?"
"Comrade Commander, I don't think so." The regiment commander murmured: "If the enemy wants to carry out shelling, will it hit their own people?"
"Once the Germans obtain Hornadolph's body, they can definitely get out of the covered area of artillery fire within a few minutes." Sokov sneered: "And the German artillery can shoot at us unscrupulously as long as they see their people entering the safe area."
Sokov's words shocked the commander into a cold sweat: "Comrade Commander, I don't think the Germans would do such a despicable and shameless thing, right?"
"Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, your idea is completely wrong." Sokov said with a serious expression: "What other things do you think are harmful to the gods that the Germans can't do?"
The regiment commander understood Sokov's intention and immediately took the initiative to propose: "Comrade Commander, when the wounded come, I will immediately arrange personnel to help them enter our position."
"Before I came here, I had greeted your deputy commander and chief of staff, and they knew what to do." Sokov said to the commander: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, your task is to accompany me to entertain the German commander and delay time as much as possible. It is best to wait until all the wounded enter the position before letting them leave."
"I understand, Comrade Commander." The commander nodded and said, "I will definitely complete this task."
Second Lieutenant Kahn, who was heading towards the exchange site in the bucket cart, saw a familiar figure among the Russians in the distance, and thought he was confused. He quickly rubbed his eyes hard, and after confirming that he had read it correctly, he turned his head to the adjutant sitting in the back row and said, "Mr. Colonel, the commander who presided over the exchange ceremony of the Russians seems to be Major General Sokov himself."
"What? Is the Russian Major General Sokov presided over the exchange ceremony?" When the adjutant heard Kahn say this, his expression suddenly changed: "You are not wrong."
"It's not wrong, Mr. Colonel." Kahn replied affirmatively: "I have seen him a few times and will never admit it. You must know that among the Russians, a young general like him is unique."
"Speed up." After receiving Kahn's confirmation, the adjutant immediately ordered the driver: "Come over and say hello to General Sokov as soon as possible."
"Mr. Colonel," the translator, who sat beside the adjutant, reminded him carefully: "Will there be dangers when we just pass by?"
"I believe in General Sokov's character. Since it is said that the two sides will exchange, he will never let anyone threaten my safety."
A few minutes later, the bucket car passed through the battlefield full of craters and corpses and arrived at the location where Sokov was. Kahn jumped out of the car first, then went back and helped the adjutant open the door.
After getting off the car, the adjutant pulled the hem of his military uniform, then stepped in front of Sokov, and asked with a smile: "Is it that you are General Sokov?"
"Yes, Mr. Colonel." Sokov heard the adjutant call out his name, guessing that he might be confirming his identity. Without waiting for the translation and retelling, he said first: "I don't know who you are?"
"I am Colonel Burke," the adjutant said respectfully, "I am the adjutant of Marshal Manstein, and I was ordered to exchange with you."
"Col. Burke, I think today's exchange ceremony will probably take a long time. How about we sit down and have a drink?" Sokov said with a smile: "I'll ask you to taste what authentic vodka tastes."
Burke did respect Sokov in his heart, but it did not mean that he would agree to sit with Sokov and drink. After Sokov finished speaking, he waved his hand with a smile and said, "General Sokov, the task I came here today is to exchange your prisoners of war for the body of General Hornerdolph. As for drinking, I think there may be a chance in the future."