He was forced to flee abroad after the failed Second Revolution of 1913 against Yuan Shikai, travelling via Japan to the United States, and returned in 1916 to participate in the final stages of the National Protection War, and to represent Zhejiang's military government in Beijing.

After the fall of Cao Kun in the 1924 Beijing Coup, he joined the Zhili clique and became acting president of the Republic of China on the request of Feng Yuxiang.

He declared Cao Kun's term illegal because it was obtained through bribery and also repudiated the agreement which allowed former Emperor Puyi to continue to live in the Forbidden City.

Huang was influential in winning over Feng Yuxiang and Yan Xishan to Chiang Kai-shek's faction of the Kuomintang (KMT) which was one of the major reasons why Wang Jingwei's Wuhan regime collapsed.

He later served under several offices during the Nanjing decade including Shanghai mayor, foreign minister, and chairman of the North China Political Council.