 Two days later, with help from Japanese troops, the Anhui army also succeeded in taking Poplar (杨) Hamlet, forcing Zhili forces to form a second line of defense in the region of Northern Warehouse (Beicang, 北仓).Here the Anhui army's advance was finally halted.On July 17 Wu Peifu personally commanded the Zhili army's western front, performing a daring maneuver, outflanking the enemy and taking the western zone's Anhui headquarters.