Yan Qing, who is more than six chi tall, is a handsome youth with a fair complexion, red lips, thick eyebrows, broad shoulders and a narrow waist.

His charming looks, his proficiency in learning new tongues and his astuteness in assessing situations and picking up leads make him an ideal spy and infiltrator.

Lu Junyi is conned by Wu Yong, the chief strategist of Liangshan Marsh, to travel to the vicinity of the stronghold, which is eager to recruit him for his consummate fighting skill.

Yan Qing, who is often armed with a slingshot-like bow and three short arrows, tails them and shoots the guards to death when they are about to murder Lu in the woods.

On one occasion, he travels to Tai'anzhou (泰安州; present-day Tai'an, Shandong), accompanied by Li, to challenge one Ren Yuan, who claims to be invincible in wrestling in the Song Empire.

When Ren's students rushes in to snatch the prizes, they break into a fight with Li Kui, who is immediately recognised by some spectators as an outlaw from Liangshan.

Upon learning that Emperor Huizong is secretly seeing the Gējì Li Shishi, he sends Yan Qing to contact her in the imperial capital Dongjing and ask her to set up a meeting between him and the monarch.

After that, Yan Qing and Dai Zong visit Grand Marshal Su Yuanjing, who agrees to put in a good word for Liangshan.

Following the amnesty for Liangshan, Yan Qing participates in the campaigns against the Liao invaders and rebel forces in Song territory, which the outlaws are ordered to undertake to atone for their crimes.

As the surviving heroes return to Dongjing for rewards, Yan Qing senses that hostile forces in the court would cause them harm.