On December 5th, about 120 kilometers west of Ekaterinburg Fortress, at 0400 hours.
The artillery groups, which had been in hiding, suddenly began to roar. Their barrage boomed like rolling spring thunder, shaking the world, covered in silver frost.
The copious snow and icicles that had accumulated on the trees cascaded down with each blast.
The long-planned counteroffensive by the Western Front Army had begun.
————
At the headquarters of the Western Front Army, General Tukhachev watched his watch, and as the minute hand pointed to twelve, he turned his head and nodded to the Front Army Chief of Staff.
The Chief of Staff issued the order into the handset, “Attack troops, move out.”
Tukhachev, rubbing his hands in excitement, looked at the map hanging on the wall, “Rokossovsky said we could only push up to this line and then we’d stall, with the possibility of suffering heavy losses if we press the attack. We have to break through this line and utterly crush the enemy!”
After issuing all the orders, the Front Army Chief of Staff also joined him before the map, “Now many people think that victory can only be brought by Rokossovsky. It’s up to us to overturn that impression. Rokossovsky is winning because the enemy is at the end of their tether!”
Tukhachev nodded, “Exactly, we need to overturn that impression. Even the Federation believes in him, thinking the war will last for several years.”
After Tukhachev finished speaking, everyone in the headquarters fell silent.
Perhaps a part within them also told them that the war could not possibly end so simply, but they refused to believe—or couldn’t afford to believe.
The silence lasted for a minute before Tukhachev himself broke it, “I heard he won the respect of most cadets in just one class at the military academy. Only a few nobly born—and that too, the untalented dandies—disapprove of him.
“If he continues as the headmaster, the impact will be immeasurable. We must have a war hero of the same caliber,” Tukhachev went on.
Tukhachev didn’t say “that hero is me.”
He simply kept the same posture, staring at the map.
At this very moment within the Western Front Army, all the generals close to Rokossovsky and their troops had been relocated to cities east of Ye Fort with better infrastructure for a “rest,” effectively driving out the “Rokossovsky faction” from the Western Front Army.
Even the Air Force pilots who sang Rokossovsky’s praises had all been transferred to fighter squadrons around the capital.
In short, as long as the Western Front Army could achieve victory, all these changes must be credited to someone other than the “star of victory,” Major General Rokossovsky.
If they could achieve victory that is.
But the line specially marked on the map was like a dark cloud pressing down on Tukhachev’s heart, making it hard for him to breathe.
If the enemy didn’t collapse like an avalanche, then they could indeed halt the Western Front Army at that line.
But how could the enemy not crumble like an avalanche? The enemy at Karanskaya didn’t even have the will to resist anymore! The enemy was definitely at the end of their tether—no, they had to be!
After an indefinite amount of time, suddenly a communications officer entered the command post, “Report, the first assault army group has breached the enemy’s defenses.”
Tukhachev slapped his thigh forcefully, “Good! Tell the first assault army group to capture prisoners, preferably grab some generals!”
————
Wang Zhong was awakened by the ringing of his telephone. He lifted his head from the comforts of soft bedding and reached out of the blankets to take the receiver, “Hello?”
On the other end of the phone was Vasily’s voice, “The Western Front Army has broken through the enemy’s frontal defenses.”
Wang Zhong, “What’s so surprising about that? Call me when they’ve recaptured Shostka.”
Vasily, “Shostka? You mean to inform you after they’ve broken the line you drew?”
Wang Zhong, “Was there anything unclear in my statement?”
“No, sorry to have disturbed your rest. See you in Prosen.”
“See you in Prosen,” Wang Zhong hung up the phone and buried his face back into the comforts of bedding.
Liu Xia, “You should get up now, staying in bed is not good. It would be my negligence if I let you slack.”
With that she briskly flipped away Wang Zhong’s blanket.
However, with a fireplace burning in the room and the walls themselves providing good insulation, the small chill was utterly insufficient to wake Wang Zhong.
Then, at that moment, Nelly entered.
At her entry, Wang Zhong shivered.
Ludmila gave Nelly a look, and the young maid directly opened the window facing north, letting the bitterly cold wind at minus 40 degrees rush into the room.
Wang Zhong jumped out of bed, “Good heavens, are you trying to kill me?”
Nelly, “A little bit.”
Wang Zhong sighed, turned his head to look at Ludmila, only to find she had already dressed and was not going back to bed to join him.
Ludmila, “Nelly, close it now. It wouldn’t be good if he truly catches a cold.”
Nelly shut the window and even went over to the fireplace to stir the charcoal, reviving a lively blaze.
Ludmila meanwhile fetched the military uniform, handing the pieces to Wang Zhong one by one.
A moment later, General Rokossovsky was neatly dressed.
Someone knocked on the door.
Ludmila responded, “Come in!”
Vasily poked his head in first, ensuring everyone was properly dressed, then entered and saluted Wang Zhong, “General, good morning!”
Wang Zhong asked, “How was the battle last night?”
Vasily said, “The northern line is the same as usual. General Golikov hasn’t been able to launch a counter-offensive to break the siege, the central line just started to counterattack. The Prussians are still besieging our Coastal Fortress on the southern line. The fortress is still holding on, firmly blocking the enemy’s path into the vast southern grasslands.”
Wang Zhong said, “A stalemate across the front is acceptable. Is there anything I must do on the military front today?”
Vasily shrugged, “Aside from teaching at the school and continuing to compile your textbook, there doesn’t seem to be anything else.”
At that moment, as if timed perfectly with the completion of Vasily’s report, Lady Ellie entered.
Wang Zhong asked, “Do I have any non-military matters to attend to today?”
Lady Ellie said, “You have 50 documents in need of your review.”
Wang Zhong exclaimed in surprise, “Why are there so many?”
Lady Ellie explained, “Because you’re the only head of this department, and everything, big or small, must be reported to you. My suggestion is to delegate less important decisions to your subordinates. In fact, the first document you need to review today is about the selection of department heads for the committee.
Once these positions are filled, the number of documents you need to review each day will greatly decrease.”
Wang Zhong couldn’t help but hold his forehead; he felt the urge again to summon Pavlov to his aid.
Ludmila lamented, “Too bad I can’t help you with that.”
Wang Zhong said, “All you need to do is be generous to me when the time comes.”
Ludmila chuckled.
Vasily asked, “Should I have Sergeant Grigori get some more deer and hedgehog meat?”
Wang Zhong snapped, “Always with the extra business! Do I look that weak to you? Get out!”
“Alright.” Vasily scurried off without delay.
————
Wang Zhong spent the entire morning dealing with committee matters at No. 10 Ping Road.
Lady Ellie had already done him a great favor. Each document had a summary at the beginning, and they were arranged according to the urgency, even including opinions from specialists added to the files as attachments.
Wang Zhong personally felt that Lady Ellie was already on par with Bernard (the secretary from the British show “Yes, Prime Minister”).
In the afternoon, like the previous day, he went to Suvorov Military Academy to fulfill his role as the headmaster.
Upon arriving at the academy, he saw a large group of officers who had come down from the front lines gathered together, discussing something.
Wang Zhong shifted his view and noticed that some cadets were also among them, including the young Duke Alexei Petrovich Valkov, who was under scrutiny by the Tribunal, and Maslo Boyev, whom Wang Zhong particularly favored.
So Wang Zhong asked for the car to stop and got out to walk towards this group.
As he drew closer, he heard the voice of young Duke Valkov: “The Western Front Army is unstoppable! The attack began at eight o’clock this morning, and in just six hours, they have advanced dozens of kilometers, even surpassing the initial advance speed of the Prussians at the start of the war!
“The enemy is indeed at the end of their rope! Rokossovsky has been frightened by the enemy, that’s why he’s so afraid of them!”
Maslo Boyev’s voice contradicted, “Let’s wait until the Western Front Army breaks through the line that the General mentioned before we talk. Otherwise, there might be a heavy toll in casualties and losses with no progress made in return!”
Young Duke Valkov scoffed, “Hmph! You’ve just been hoodwinked by his seemingly plausible theories!”
Boyev retorted, “But he has won battles, has your father won any?”
Valkov stuttered, then quickly said, “Although my father hasn’t, Duke Meishikin has fought no worse than him! If it weren’t for Duke Meishikin’s help, Rokossovsky would have died at Orachi!”
Wang Zhong spoke up, “I know Duke Meishikin, and he would not boast about his accomplishments in public like this. Besides, the achievements belong to Duke Meishikin, not you, young Duke Valkov, nor your father.”
Everyone turned their heads to look at Wang Zhong, and as if Moses were parting the sea, they made way for Wang Zhong to walk directly into the center of the crowd.
Wang Zhong looked at young Duke Valkov: “I still believe the Prussians cannot afford to give up the defensive line around Shostka. They will employ their most elite troops for defense.
“After advancing more than two hundred kilometers, our organizational structure would surely be in disarray, with a considerable portion of the tanks likely out of order.
“The correct strategy would be to advance to this fortified zone and then halt, allowing the troops to rest and reorganize, awaiting an offensive next summer.”
Wang Zhong paused, taking in the surroundings.
Young Duke Valkov asked, “And if we don’t stop?”
Wang Zhong replied, “The attacking forces will face a significant defeat, and might even lose some of the ground gained in the counter-offensive. Advocates of rapid victory like Tukhachev will be held responsible for this grievous defeat.”
Maslo Boyev remarked, “The offensive has just been launched; isn’t it a bit premature to talk about a disastrous failure?”
Wang Zhong replied, “Knowing that it will fail yet proceeding to launch the attack for the sake of personal gains and ‘political considerations’—that’s why I say the advocates of a quick victory are extremely culpable.”
Wang Zhong raised his hand, pointing at young Duke Valkov: “They must be held accountable to our soldiers who would perish because of them!”