Jiao Ting, a native of Zhongshan Prefecture (中山府; around present-day Dingzhou, Hebei), is skilled in wrestling, having mastered a set of techniques developed by his grandfather and taught only within the family.
Jiao Ting intended to join the bandits on Mount Deadwood (枯樹山) in Kouzhou (寇州; believed to be present-day Guan County, Shandong) led by Bao Xu.
In fact Li has sneaked out of the stronghold after Song Jiang disallowed him to join Guan Sheng in a military attack on Shan Tinggui and Wei Dingguo in Lingzhou (in present-day Dezhou, Shandong).
When they are at Bao's stronghold, the convoy escorting Xuan Zan and Hao Siwen, who have been captured by Shan and Wei at Lingzhou, to the imperial capital Dongjing happens to come past.
Li Kui, assisted by Jiao Ting, Bao Xu, Xuan Zan and Hao Siwen, attacks a gate of Lingzhou, causing the city to fall, when Wei Dingguo is outside of it fighting Guan Sheng.