In both novels, he is portrayed as a lascivious and immoral man who starts a secret affair with
Pan Jinlian and helps her poison her husband
Wu Dalang to death. Where the two novels differ is what happens when Wu Dalang's brother
Wu Song confronts Ximen Qing at Lion Tower. In Water Margin, the older novel, Wu Song kills Ximen Qing in broad daylight and is exiled. In Jin Ping Mei, however, Ximen Qing escapes and bribes the
county magistrate to have Wu Song arrested and exiled. Jin Ping Mei then follows Ximen Qing's degenerate pursuits of women and power until he dies from
aphrodisiac overdose.
Sexual partners
Lady Chen (陳氏), first wife
Wu Yueniang (吳月娘), second wife
Li Jiao'er (李娇兒), first concubine, originally a prostitute[1]
Zhuo Diu'er (卓丟兒), second concubine, originally a prostitute
Meng Yulou (孟玉樓), third concubine, originally the wife of Yang Zongxi
Sun Xue'e (孫雪娥), fourth concubine, originally a widower