As for the local places, they are like local tyrants, being able to control everything without the slightest issue from outside their family gates. This is the survival mode of these aristocratic families that have been handed down through countless ages.
They don't need to ascend to the throne; they just need to manipulate the imperial court from behind the scenes. When chaos ensues and the emperor is killed, even if the world is remade, the imperial court remains their mouthpiece. This is the ultimate development of how aristocratic families survived during the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, manipulating the state.
