Although Shen Yan is the second young master of the Shen Family, a prestigious identity, compared to Wen Changlin, his status is still far inferior. Any family, including the five major families of Yanjing, although considered prestigious, are far from being on par with those top figures within the red walls.
This is to avoid a situation where the influence of wealthy families becomes too great.
To put it more simply, the highest level of authority is a person, and the five major families are like five parasites within him. It doesn't matter to those above whether you are parasitic or not. You can suck blood as you wish, but if you dare to attempt to reach the brain, you'll be doomed.
One must admit, the top figures of each generation have been quite farsighted.
