Currently I am running a game of Legend of the Five Rings, 4th Edition that is an extension of my 3rd Ed campaign. The current setting is a courtly endeavor, which dredges up certain problems. When I was closing the arc in the 3e campaign, they were in a massive war so when I asked my players what they wanted from the new arc, they all said "more social" because even though only two (maybe three) of them lost characters of the six character table, (and one was because they had to leave the game so i gave that character a heroic death) the game was still quite tough.
So my answer was that the characters were given custodianship of a small castle because of their status as war heroes. Their varying clans are to make the castle a hub for any diplomatic activity, and them responsible for the goings on (although there is a lord that they must answer to if things get out of hand).
My Problem
The table has shifted some, and one of my players can only play every other session. They want a social game but L5R's social strata is complex and while I can weave machinations and things that I think they can manage, the characters are mostly bushi and thus have low social skills (enough not to make fools of themselves when visiting someone), so even low level Courtiers outclass them in this element and my players sometimes don't catch on to the way the system works. The table all love their characters, but I worry about having a railroaded plot.
My Current Workaround
The game itself has been off and on due to personal emergencies and i have put 7th Sea as a filler game in the meantime. Just last week I ran a bit of a tutorial to show the players a little more of what they can do since it was the first time after char gen. I almost want to switch to 7th because the social system is something that's easier for them, but that means entirely scrapping the ideas I have been working on since last year.
What would you recommend as a way to keep L5R healthy?
EDIT: I've said this in a couple answers below but will reiterate for new readers. The players are, on average, Insight Rank 4 so they are extremely capable at what they already do. Because of the Emerald Empire rule book I have some extra rules to make them the head honcho of their respective fields of specialty.