[2] In 1874, Ma Yukun and Zuo Zongtang's department jointly fought against the aggression of Agubo and the Russian Empire in the Qing reconquest of Xinjiang, and then led the army to garrison the northwest for more than 10 years.

In 1894, he was awarded the commander-in-chief of Taiyuan Town, Shanxi, to assist Song Qing in garrisoning the Beiyang Naval Base in Lushunkou before the First Sino-Japanese War broke out.

[2][3] During the war, he would command 6 garrisons of the Yi Army to Northern Korea to guard the east bank of the Taedong River outside the South Gate of Pyongyang.

[2] After yet another defeat, Yukun participated at the Battle of Lüshunkou, defending the west hill of Longwang Temple as the two sides fought until 2 PM that afternoon when the Japanese sent reinforcements.

[2] On February 24, 1895, during the Japanese offensive on Haicheng, Ma Yukun led his troops to defend villages such as Qiligou in Beishan, climbing the ice and laying by the snow, overseeing the battle.