Old Madam Xi

Old Madam Xi (奚老夫人) is Xi Ping and Zhou Ying's grandmother. She is mother to Xi Zhengde and Xi Ziyi. She passed away shortly after her eightieth birthday.

Old Madam Xi was brought up as a well-bred lady who never left the house. As such, she never pursued any studies and understands colloquial speech and illustrations better than formal writing. Although she isn't very learned, she knew how "to attend to household affairs and do needlework." She also tends to write in large characters. She lives at Yongning Marquis Manor with her son and his family and has a courtyard that she uses as a garden. A prominent feature of the garden are the "cluster after cluster of tuberoses." She has a little room with a blue window screen inside her courtyard that is reserved specifically for her grandson, Zhou Ying, who she shares a very close relationship with.