severing the link between the nationalist 74th and 83rd Reorganized Divisions as planned. Meanwhile, the communist 4th and 9th Column attacked the nationalist 74th Reorganized Division head-on, successfully checking its advance by taking regions including Huanglu Zhai (黄鹿寨), Foshanjiao (佛山角), Mamu Chi (馬牧池), and Suijiadian (隋家店). The communist 6th Column, operating behind the enemy's line in southern Shandong, reached regions of Guanshang (观上) and Bai Bu (白埠) to the southwest of Duo Village from Tongshi (铜石) region on the morning of May 14 after a forced march. Until the 74th Reorganized Division was first attacked by the enemy on the evening of May 13, it did not realize how grave the situation was going to be, and the nationalist commanders were still prepared to carry out their original plan of taking Tanbu on the next day. On May 12 Tang Enbo ordered Maj. Gen. Li Tianxia, the commander of the nationalist army-sized Reorganized 83rd Division, to send out a regiment to reinforce the 74th Reorganized Division, assessing the enemy's weakness while performing its mission. Li sent out the (brigade-sized) 57th Regiment of the (division-sized) Reorganized 19th Brigade of the Reorganized 83rd Division led by regimental commander Col. Luo Wenlang (罗文浪) to take Peach Blossom Mountain, 5 km to the southeast of Menglianggu. However, the nationalist reinforcements were ambushed, with the entire vanguard of the regiment being completely wiped out on May 12 battalion commander, Maj. Wang Shouheng (王寿衡), being killed in action. The next day the rest of the (brigade-sized) 57th Regiment of the (division-sized) Reorganized 19th Brigade of the Reorganized 83rd Division was wiped out after being cut off from the rear, and its commander Col. Luo Wenlang was captured. The failure to take Peach Blossom Mountain, 5 km to the southeast of Menglianggu meant that the link between the nationalist Reorganized 74th Division and its most probable reinforcements had been severed. After nationalist commanders learned on May 14 that their strongholds including Celestial Horse Mountain, Horse Herding Pound and the Mountain of Heap of Rocks had fallen, they became aware that the enemy was planning to surround and destroy the 74th Reorganized Division, which subsequently retreated toward Menglianggu Mountains and Duo Village. The communists pursued them southward, with the 4th Column and 9th Column in the front, and after a night of battle they succeeded in taking the region along Tangjia Yuzi (唐家峪子) and Zhaojia Chengzi (赵家城子). At