Power in this system rested heavily on what others believed the emperor had authorized. The public loss of a recognized elder could obscure continuing informal influence without proving that the role itself had disappeared. Militants also competed to claim that they alone represented the emperor, even when their methods targeted people already serving him. Perceived access to the throne was therefore a practical political resource: whoever controlled the accepted interpretation of imperial wishes could constrain cabinets, officers, and rivals.
Notable Point · 13:21-16:17
Why perceived authority could matter more than formal office
Recognized proximity to the emperor could be politically decisive even when the position was not clearly codified.