At the same time that Yezhov beat Muralov at the Revolutionary Military Council, at the Cathedral of the Resurrection on Bokrovka Street, the Bolshevik negotiators led by Zinoviev and the negotiators of the former government led by Rudnev finally sat together.

"Mr. Gregory, have you fulfilled your promises?" Rudnev asked straight to the point, "Are you ready to return the General Posts and Telecommunications and Telephone Offices, City Halls and other related places that you have illegally occupied to the Moscow City Government under strong military pressure from the government?" ”

Zinoviev nodded slowly, but said in his mouth: "Your Excellency, I must correct your mistakes, first of all, we are not illegally occupying, we are expressing their voices by special means at the request of the residents of Moscow, and secondly, it is not that we are forced to return the above-mentioned premises to the Moscow city government, but that we have taken the initiative to abandon the above-mentioned premises in the sincerity of peacefully resolving the current problems. This is fundamentally different! ”

Rudnev pursed his lips and said nonchalantly: "I don't see any difference!" Anyway, whether you give it up voluntarily or are forced to hand it over, sooner or later these places will have to return to the government! ”

Zinoviev glanced at him, and his dissatisfaction was certain, in the round of confrontation just now, both sides wanted to take the initiative, and both wanted to use whitewash means to make their image on their side more lofty.

However, these are only trivial matters, and if you get too entangled in this kind of summary, the next negotiations will not be able to proceed at all. And Zinoviev felt that he had no advantage on his side in the first place, and it was only a matter of time before he took a step back.

So he simply didn't bother to dwell on this point, and asked directly to Usievich beside him: "Has the order to withdraw troops been given?" ”

"It's been ordered!" Usievich said without hesitation. "The forces of the town hall and other directions have made it clear that they will carry out the order. But ......"

Zinoviev said anxiously: "But what? ”

"But there's something wrong with the General Directorate of Posts, Telecommunications and Telephone." Usievich stumbled, "Pjanitsky refuses to carry out orders!" ”

"What!" Zinoviev grabbed him by the collar, glared at him and asked, "Why didn't he carry out his orders?" Didn't tell him, Andrey. Has Petrovich already agreed? ”

Usievich smiled bitterly: "Pjanitsky is a dead brain, he said that he would personally talk to Andrei. Petrovich called, to confirm in person! ”

"Tsk!"

Zinoviev shook his head helplessly, he really didn't expect Pjanitsky to be so stubborn that he would ask someone to confirm the order personally. Although Muralov had already called to report the good news that someone had been trapped. But it's one thing to trap someone, it's another thing to get someone to cooperate.

Flatbread Face is 100% sure that someone will never cooperate with him, and it would be a fool's dream to expect him to convince Pjanitsky.

"Damn it!" He cursed quietly.

"What's going on?" Rudnev, who was on the other end of the negotiation table, had been paying attention to Zinoviev's expression, and the discoloration of the flatbread face just now fell into his eyes, and he was full of vigilance about this, "Could it be that you are ready to break the contract again?!" ”

Rudnev's words were questioning, although this tone made Zinoviev very unhappy. But now it was indeed his side that dropped the chain, so he had to say kindly: "Of course not!" We are very sincere in our negotiations! ”

In fact, Rudnev's heart over there was also hanging in mid-air. Like Zinoviev, most of his hopes are on negotiations, and if they can't be negotiated, it will be in vain. Zinoviev gave assurances, which somewhat relieved him.

It's a pity that Rudnev didn't expect that Zinoviev would play a big gasp, and just gave him a reassuring pill, and then broke a fierce news: "However, now there is a small problem." According to the information we have just received, the General Directorate of Posts, Telecommunications and Telephone is occupied by a small mob of disorganized and undisciplined people, who are determined to obey the commands......"

Zinoviev admired himself a little, and was able to come up with such a good excuse in such a short time, labeling Pijanitsky who did not obey orders as a mob, indirectly indicating that it was not that I did not abide by the agreement, but that a small part of the mob did not cooperate.

Of course, Rudnev knew what the so-called mob was, and naturally he would not be fooled by the fig leaf that Zinoviev had found improvised, and he said angrily: "Don't play word games with me, Mr. Grigory, you're going to play tricks, aren't you?" ”

Zinoviev carefully apologized, "We are very sorry for this, but this small mob is really not under our control!" We can guarantee that this handful of mobs has nothing to do with us! ”

"I doubt it!" Rudnev slammed the table and roared.

"I'm sorry!" Zinoviev bowed again and apologized, "I can assure you that this is definitely just an anarchic act of a small mob, and their numbers are quite small...... Speaking of this, he glanced at Usievich and asked in a low voice: "How many more people are there in Piyanitsky?" ”

"Only one or two hundred at most!"

One or two hundred? After hearing this figure, Rudnev was not so angry, if the Bolsheviks in the General Directorate of Posts and Telecommunications and Telephone had only such a small number of men, it would really not be a big problem, just send a random force to destroy them. It is impossible to let the negotiations stall for such a trivial matter.

Although Rudnev was ready to forgive Zinoviev, he did not forget to use this opportunity to add a little more weight to himself, "You mean, let our troops destroy these mobs?" He asked.

"If you're willing to do that, I don't have any opinion!"

Zinoviev unceremoniously chose to give up Pjanitsky, since this fool wants to find death, it is also a good choice to make him a negative example in order to fulfill him. At least with this negative typical lesson, the die-hard elements in the Moscow party committee can be sobered up.

"But. This is not in line with the agreement we made before! "Rudnev is starting to talk about conditions." You have to make amends! ”

Zinoviev also refused to give an inch. "I said it, it's a pity about it." This part of the mob is not under our control, and I think you know what their temper is, Mr. Mayor, and I think you can understand our troubles! ”

"I understand you, but who understands me?" Rudnev scoffed at this.

"We can understand you, your magnanimity, and the sincere friendship of our Bolsheviks!" Zinoviev still refused to budge, "but. If you really don't understand, then we can't help it, it's really just an accident! ”

Rudnev stared at Zinoviev until he confirmed that the big pie face would never give in again, he sighed, no way, he didn't dare to push too hard, he could only grit his teeth and admit it.

"Gather your troops and prepare to attack the General Directorate of Posts, Telecommunications and Telephones!" Rudnev said this almost from between his teeth, and he glanced at Zinoviev defiantly. added: "Tell Major Vershinin to destroy all the mob. Don't leave a single mouth alive! ”

Of course, Zinoviev knew what Rudnev's last glance meant, and he knew what he meant by adding the last sentence to Lud. However, he did not care about this, at most he would send another person to the General Directorate of Posts, Telecommunications and Telephones, and at the end of the ultimatum to Pjanitsky, and if he continued to be obsessed, he would be glad to watch Rudnev solve this problem for him.

Major Vershinin was the only reserve left in Rudnev's hands, but the troops he led were a veritable hodgepodge, so after receiving the mayor's order, the major had a great headache.

"Are you ready, Kirill?" The major asked his chief of staff.

Kirill replied helplessly, "I'm afraid you'll have to wait a little longer, Major." It takes time for our soldiers to assemble......"

"Don't you think our soldiers are moving too slowly?"

"I'm sorry, Major. As I said last night, our soldiers are a rabble, a hodgepodge of unemployed scoundrels, drunkards and thugs. These bastards have no discipline in their heads, and it's not easy to get them drunk together! ”

"I know all of this, Kirill. But you know, I'm not Liang Bozev, that damn rice bucket is Mr. Mayor's henchman. All the awesome guys were pulled away by him! All we have left is these crumbs! "So instead of you babbling about me here, think about how to make these damn pieces work." ”

Kirill scoffed, "Only God can make these fools work!" And I, obviously, don't have that much supernatural power......" Speaking of this, he paused, and continued to complain: "Moreover, we lack weapons, whether it is rifles, pistols, even long guns made of wood are rare, and each soldier has less than ten bullets! My major, what do you want me to do? We can't fight the Bolsheviks with our bare hands! ”

Vershinin interrupted him, "I know it, Kirill. I know it's bad, but I'm going to say that your complaints don't change anything! ”

"But I just can't help but complain, Major."

Kirill firmly believes that with the current rabble, coupled with the weapons and equipment of the cups, it is a fool's dream to expect to win a battle.

"We are in a special situation now, and there is no need to dwell too much on ......"

"Major Vershininen." A sudden voice interrupted the major's speech. Together with his staff officer, he turned around and saw Rudnev's secretary running towards them.

He seemed to be in a hurry, and of course, he was, in a hurry, because the mayor was anxious to retake the General Directorate of Posts, Telecommunications and Telephone. And his old man's eagerness was so high that he repeatedly sent his secretary to urge, "The mayor wants to know when you can start attacking...... Also, did you get in touch with Colonel Liang Bozev? ”

Colonel Ryobozev - Welshinin felt unhappy when he heard the name, he instinctively sensed Rudnev's distrust of him, and the mayor was anxious to find Ryobozev, there must be only one reason, he preferred the colonel to complete this mission.

"I don't know what Colonel Ryonbozev is doing, but the attack will have to wait a little longer, probably ......," Vershinin turned his gaze to his staff officer. Kirill? ”

"It's going to take at least half an hour." Kirill replied in the affirmative.

"Half an hour." Vershinin repeated. "Please tell Mr. Mayor. If all goes well, in half an hour we can start attacking. ”

Half an hour later, when Major Vershinin's team was basically assembled, looking at the crooked so-called "soldiers" under his command, out of the instinct of a career officer, Vershin's eyebrows furrowed, although the people in front of him were called soldiers, but in essence they were just a group of armed ruffians and hooligans. You simply can't expect them to have a military posture and demeanor. and discipline. In this ranks, everything that a soldier should have, demand, and be asked of is neither present nor valued.

Vershinin did not like this. On the one hand, the army should have the appearance of an army, even if it is really just an armed militia. On the other hand, the Major was also worried that these rogue soldiers would infect the small number of real soldiers he led.

"If only I had enough time to ......," he said, then stopped, put the thought behind him, and turned to look at Kirill. He asked, "Are you sure these big guys can actually go to war?" ”

"Actually. I think...... Think they're vulnerable! ”

"Really?" Major Vershinin smiled bitterly, though he used a rhetorical question. But in fact, he was very much in line with his staff officers.

"We need soldiers who are really able to go to war, not these rabble. My Major! Kirill still hadn't given up on his idea, and he was doing his best work.

But these efforts were meaningless, because Vershinin knew very well that he could not get those real soldiers, who were in the hands of Ryubozev, and it was impossible to give them to him. Faced with Kirill's hopeful eyes, Vercinen could only look a little farther away. He lifted his head a little and looked at the General Office of Posts, Telecommunications and Telephones in the distance, although in reality he could not see anything, he only pretended to think, and the purpose was to hide from Kirill.

"You say...... The Revolutionary Military Council forced me to retreat? Pjanitsky stared in astonishment at the man standing in front of him, the new commissioner of the Revolutionary Military Council, Nikolai Brown. Krylov, a once respected professional revolutionary. But now Pjanitsky just wanted to call up the soldiers outside, ask them to arrest this guy, and then throw this bastard out of the Main Directorate of Posts, Telecommunications and Telephone.

Because Nikolai. Krylov had just conveyed to him the latest decision of the Revolutionary Military Council: in order to advance the revolution and to better fight the enemy, the Revolutionary Military Council proposed that the insurrectionary troops guarding the Main Directorate of Posts, Telecommunications and Telephones be ordered to immediately withdraw from their positions and assemble themselves in the city Soviet, and that the sooner possible...... Otherwise, all the corresponding responsibility and consequences will be the responsibility of the commander of the insurrectionary forces guarding the General Directorate of Posts, Telecommunications and Telephones!

Pjanitsky was almost mad at this inexplicable resolution. Surrender to the General Directorate of Posts, Telecommunications and Telephone? Assemble to the city Soviet? He could have guessed what the consequences would have been—the de facto surrender of the General Directorate of Posts, Telecommunications and Telephone.

Pjanitsky did not like this result, as a loyal Bolshevik. He had great hopes for an armed uprising, and now the Revolutionary Military Council was going to retreat without a fight, and he simply could not accept it!

"I will not order the troops to retreat!" He called, "My troops will hold on to this building until it falls or we push the enemy back!" ”

"I suggest that you seriously and rationally consider this matter, Comrade Pjanitsky." Krylov could not understand Pijanitsky's determination at all, and he even felt that the other party was just talking beautifully, and he once again admonished: "I am sure you must be well aware that this is an order of the Moscow Revolutionary Military Council, and your troops will not be able to hold this building!" ”

"But we'll hold on until the last minute!"

Krylov ignored the interruption: "...... The enemy has an absolute advantage, and in the current situation, the Moscow Revolutionary Military Council made the most correct judgment, which was to shrink the line of defense and hold the city Soviet. If you insist on holding the Main Directorate of Posts, Telecommunications and Telephones, Comrade Pjanitsky, your troops will face a siege from the enemy. You will be wiped out! Remember, my comrade, revolution is not strong! Do what you can! ”

Pjanitsky interrupted him again: "Our task is to defend the party, to defend the revolution. We are not afraid to make sacrifices for the Party and the revolution! ”

"But your most important task is to defend the Soviets." Krylov insisted on his point of view, "Only by preserving the Soviets can we continue the revolution!" And now, the city soviets need you and your troops even more! ”

"The city soviets won't allow us, all they need is a little courage."

This is already the third time he has been interrupted, Nikolai. Krylov was finally a little annoyed, because Pjanitsky not only interrupted him, but also mocked him, and it was unbearable!

Krylov raised his voice and screamed like a rooster: "Comrade Pjanitsky, I will ask you again after the last minute whether you carried out the orders of the Moscow Revolutionary Military Council!" If you refuse, then the Moscow Revolutionary Military Council will regard your actions as a mutiny! ”

For the fourth time today, his speech was interrupted again...... But it was no longer Pjanitsky who interrupted him, but a sparse burst of gunfire.

"The enemy is attacking!" An officer rushed into the command headquarters.

Suddenly, Krylov's face turned pale, and even began to falter, he tried to calm his mind, and finally roared: "Piyanitsky, do you see, the enemy has come up, you don't want to be obsessed anymore!" Do you want to send all your comrades to their deaths? (To be continued......)

PS: Special thanks to Comrade Ivanyu for your continued support, thank you!