@Ke_Zunjian
I think she meant that, just how she gave her 5 (including Mao) attendants the pendants/earrings/hairpins, which are her symbols, that is to say, they make clear to everyone that the person wearing them is not just some maid, some nobody, but an important, valued personal attendant of a high ranking concubine. It announces their status and also gives them protection, when there's gonna be a lot of people from outside the harem present.
So, what Junshi gave Mao is, I think similar, in that it's wasn't a gift of adoration, so much as his symbol so that anyone seeing it will know she is in some way affiliated with Jinshi and so under his protection as well. Looks like he gave it to her in light of the story she just told him. But the way the poor sod blushed while doing so, makes me believe that the *reason* he gave it to her was not only because he was sorry, but also as a show of his.. wel, interest.
@naxon
I'm not really sure that Jinshi is an eunuch though. It wssn't stated at any point clearly. Also, the mild punishments within the Harem lead me to believe it might be possible to have a normal man enter within this world setting, without it being too outlandish.
But then again, even if he is, I still ship the fuck out of them, haha.