In other words, with the emperor gone, he could stop supporting certain families that he didn't care for, or were no longer politically useful, and reward those who were.
Feelings of worthlessness or guilt, a depressed person may feel that they have no value or they may feel inappropriately guilty about things they have no control over.
Everyone has seen speakers beginning a presentation by apologizing for how unworthy they are, how little of their work is really conclusive, how they hope people will forgive them and so on.