To do so would require great upheaval, and probably have required some kind of epic level **** up from one or more clans. Like say if your entire clan is disowned, or something - somebody else has to get the land, I guess.

7 hours ago, Void Crane said:

As a practical/political matter, while the Emperor owns the lands, I don't think they can actually do much except on the margins without risking massive upheaval.

This is why I said that actuality is on the Emperor's side while technicality is for the lords under him. If the Emperor really, honest-to-goodness, wanted to reign in a lord, he could just tell someone in Tengoku to do something. But this requires balls of thousand-folded steel, so the Emperor never does this, and the lords can essentially do whatever they want.

And also why the Emperor's (or at least the Imperial families, which is not always the same thing) preferred weapon for reigning in a major clan is to give their totally-deniable-blessing to another major clan to take them down a peg or to - pretty much what happens in Flying Chariot, Standing with the Unicorn.

Creating minor clans and giving them strategically inconvenient territories and/or stealing notable individuals from a major clan's command structure as a 'reward' for their skill and devotion to the empire is another one.

Direct action (in the worst case using the Imperial Legions) is available, but maintaining the façade that the Emperor's pronouncements are infallible, the Hantei is never on the losing side and is above petty politics makes it very difficult for the throne to weigh in on one side of a dispute openly.

(rather appropriately, the LCG has done exactly that now it's introduced the Emperor as a playable character)

2 hours ago, Magnus Grendel said:

And also why the Emperor's (or at least the Imperial families, which is not always the same thing) preferred weapon for reigning in a major clan is to give their totally-deniable-blessing to another major clan to take them down a peg or to - pretty much what happens in Flying Chariot, Standing with the Unicorn.

The Emperor/Imperial families need the clans fighting each other so they do not turn their attention against the Imperials. Directing a great clan to reign in another great clan keeps both clans focused on spending resources on each other and not looking towards the Imperial families..