A resident in Jizhou, Xiao Rang is a skilled calligrapher who could imitate anyone's handwriting including the distinctive and well-known ones of four famous contemporary personages -- Su Dongpo, Huang Tingjian, Mi Fu and Cai Jing. Nicknamed "Sacred Handed Scholar" for his calligraphic talent, Xiao has known Wu Yong before the latter became the chief strategist of the outlaws at Liangshan Marsh
When Song Jiang is in exile in Jiangzhou as a mitigated sentence for killing his mistress Yan Poxi, he could move around in and out of prison freely with permission of the chief warden Dai Zong, who is a friend of Wu Yong. One day Song gets drunk in a restaurant. Lamenting his misfortune, he writes a seditious poem on a wall in the eatery, which he forgets the next day. Huang Wenbing, a petty official, discovers the poem and reports it to Cai Jiu, the governor of Jiangzhou, leading to Song's arrest and lock-up. Cai Jiu orders Dai Zong to take a letter to his father Imperial Tutor Cai Jing in the imperial capitalDongjing to seek advice on how to deal with this egregious offence. Passing by Liangshan, Dai Zong is taken up to the stronghold where he tells the outlaws the dangerous situation of Song Jiang. Wu Yong suggests forging a letter in the name of Cai Jing to fool Cai Jiu to send Song Jiang to Dongjing. The plan is to rescue Song when he is being transported there. But the letter could only be faked with the help of Xiao Rang, who could imitate Cai Jing's handwriting, and the craftsman Jin Dajian, who could forge Cai's personal seal. So, Dai Zong travels to their homes where he lures them to the vicinity of Liangshan claiming that their skills are needed for the renovation of a temple. When they find themselves trapped, Xiao and Jin have no choice but join Liangshan and create the fake letter as instructed by Wu Yong. But the seal affixed to the letter happens to be one not appropriate for correspondence between father and son. Xiao Rang's fake handwriting fools Cai Jiu, but the seal is a giveaway when the letter is perused by Huang Wenbing. Cai Jiu orders Song Jiang and Dai Zong be executed. Meanwhile, having realised the mistake, Wu Yong sends many chieftains to Jiangzhou, where they succeed in rescuing them.
Life at Liangshan
Xiao Rang is appointed as the chief secretary of Liangshan in charge of all documents and correspondence after the 108 Stars of Destiny came together in what is called the Grand Assembly. When Grand MarshalGao Qiu leads a government force to wipe out Liangshan, his mission ends in ignominious defeat and his being captured by the outlaws. But Liangshan releases him on the condition that he puts in a good word with Emperor Huizong to win them an amnesty. Xiao Rang and Yue He go with him to represent Liangshan's case to the emperor. However, Gao breaks his promise and detains them in his house. They are extricated by Dai Zong and Yan Qing.
Campaigns
The Liangshan outlaws finally receive amnesty from the emperor with the help of the courtesan Li Shishi as well as other government officials. Xiao Rang participates in the campaigns against the Liao invaders and rebel forces in Song territory, missions ordered by the court for them to atone their crimes. In the attack on Jingnan in the campaign against Wang Qing, Xiao Rang, Jin Dajian and Pei Xuan are captured by the enemy. The three, who refused to surrender and yielded up any information under torture, are freed when Xiao Jiasui and others revolt against Wang, leading to the fall of Jingnan. Before the Liangshan heroes embark on their last campaign, which targets Fang La, Xiao Rang is summoned to Dongjing, where he becomes the private secretary of Cai Jing.
