The novel depicts Yang Lin, a native of Zhangde Prefecture, as having a round head, large and beautiful eyes, a straight nose, a squarish mouth, a narrow waist and broad shoulders. Yang, who fights well with a spear, is nicknamed "Sleek Leopard" because of his lithe figure and cat-like features.
sends Dai Zong to get Gongsun Sheng, who has been away for too long to visit his mother in Jizhou, back to Liangshan. Yang Lin, a lone wanderer, bumps into Dai at a narrow lane and immediately suspects the latter to be the famous "Magic Traveller" with his extraordinary running speed. So Yang calls out the nickname of Dai, who is shocked to be recognised by a stranger. He stops to speak to Yang, who agrees to join Liangshan when Dai invites him. While the two try to locate Gongsun Sheng's home at Jizhou, they pass by Yinma River and are blocked by a bandit group led by Deng Fei and Meng Kang. It turns out that Yang and Deng are acquaintances. They are introduced to the stronghold's chief Pei Xuan, who agrees to merge his band into that of Liangshan. When Liangshan is preparing to attack the Zhu Family manor, Yang Lin volunteers to sneak into its territory to spy out the terrain and obtain intelligence. He goes in the guise of a Taoist priest. However, he is discovered by an enemy patrol and seized. He is freed when Liangshan overruns the manor.
Campaigns
Yang Lin is appointed as one of the leaders of the Liangshan cavalry after the 108 Stars of Destiny came together in what is called the Grand Assembly. He participates in the campaigns against the Liao invaders and rebel forces in Song territory following amnesty from Emperor Huizong for Liangshan. In the siege of Runzhou in the campaign against Fang La, Yang Lin assists Mu Hong in a successful spying mission. After the capture of Hangzhou, Yang Lin falls sick and remains at the city, thus missing the rest of the campaign which ends with Fang eliminated. Yang Lin is one of the Liangshan heroes who return to the imperial capitalDongjing to receive awards. Although given an official post, he returns to Yinma River with Pei Xuan to be a bandit chief again.
