Emperor Ming quickly establishes himself as a diligent and capable administrator of the empire.

He takes a number of measures to try to stamp out corrupt officials, often putting them to death ion discovery of wrongdoing.

Historians praised him for was his fair treatment of his brothers by the deposed Empress Guo, treating them as if they were also born of his mother Empress Dowager Yin.

In 58, when his older brother, Prince Jiang of Donghai (the former crown prince) dies, he orders the princes and major officials to attend Prince Jiang's funeral—highly unusual honor—at Lucheng (in modern Jining, Shandong), the capital of Donghai.