Palace maids were released to marry once they came of age, but eunuchs were different. They were men without roots; what could they do outside the palace? Thus, they served in the palace for life, only leaving to retire in their old age.
This led to different attitudes toward their duties between eunuchs and palace maids. The maids themselves were of two kinds: those like Xiangxue, who would be released at a certain age, and those like Nanny Yu, who could attain the position of a female official, win their master's favor, and serve them for life.
These different positions and futures cultivated distinct mindsets among the palace attendants. Ordinary palace maids of the type to be released upon reaching a certain age generally focused on simply surviving until they could safely leave the palace. As such, they tried to be diplomatic and stay on everyone's good side, avoiding offending anyone lest someone try to sabotage them upon their departure.
