The Zhao Family of Qin Province, the Xiao Family of Liang Province, the Jiang Family of Yi Province, the Chu Family of Jing Province, the Yang Family of Yang Province, the Peng Family of Xu Province, and the Liu Family of Qing Province—these seven great clans were situated in the Immortal Dynasty's interior. Beyond managing the provinces under their control, most of them operated within the Immortal Dynasty's central government, wielding the majority of the power in its various departments and holding high status.
The Lu Family of Liang Province, the Ma Family of Bing Province, the Zhang Family of You Province, the Jin Family of Ping Province, the Mu Family of Ning Province, the Hu Family of Jiao Province, and the Teng Family of Guang Province, on the other hand, were all basically located along the Immortal Dynasty's borders.
Besides governing the provinces under their control, these families devoted more of their energy to the border armies, to battles against the Demon Country, the Northern Barbarians, and the Western Regions, and to opening new territory. They occupied considerable status and privileges within the Immortal Dynasty's border forces. Although each also had representatives in the Immortal Dynasty's central government and held some power and status there, it was generally neither high nor substantial.
At this time, as the high officials of the Immortal Dynasty's central departments read out their memorials and sang praises of merit and virtue, not a single member of these great clans stepped forward.
Only after the central departments had finished reading their memorials did members of these great clans come forth, when it was the turn of the four great royal clans and the various border-army divisions to submit memorials and sing praises of merit and virtue.
Yet not every great clan could step forward as