Ruan Xiao'er puts his skill in water combat to good use in many battles. When Ling Zhen helps Huyan Zhuo, who is sent by the Song court to stamp out the outlaws, by shelling Liangshan with cannons, Song Jiang is anxious to have this threat quickly nipped. The Ruan brothers, swimming under water, stole up to Ling's artillery platform set by the bank, overturn it and lured Ling to chase after them into the marsh where they capture him. Ling Zhen joins Liangshan and later contributes to creating panic among Huyan's chain-linked armoured cavalry with the firing of cannons.