Zheng Boyuan thought about the terrain he had just examined and the current weather, and said, "It's probably not a good time to start construction."

Xu Di nodded and said, "That's true. The weather is too cold, and it will be difficult for you to carry out your naval combat training. How about this, I'll talk to the person in charge of that village and find a few houses for you to settle down in the village first. We can discuss the establishment of barracks and the conscription later after the New Year. What do you think?"

Zheng Boyuan nodded in agreement, and Chen Zhaoci said, "It's not easy to meet, let's not just talk about business. Come over and have a meal while we chat."

Xu Di and Chen Zhaoci accompanied Zheng Boyuan to eat in the side hall. They served dishes that people in the capital liked. Zheng Boyuan had been staying in the Northwest and South, and it was only when Xu Zhi was in Yuezhou that he had someone cook dishes according to his taste. He had always eaten simply with the brothers in the camp. Now, tasting these dishes for the first time, he felt as if he were in a dream.

Seeing Zheng Boyuan enjoying his meal, Chen Zhaoci kept putting food on his plate, saying, "Eat as much as you like. I know you left home at such a young age and haven't been eating or living well. From now on, just stay here and relax. I'll have someone send you some delicious food. The beach isn't far from our home, is it?"

Zheng Boyuan smiled and said, "Mother-in-law, there's no need to trouble you like that. I'll just come over to eat when I'm resting."

Chen Zhaoci looked at Zheng Boyuan and thought that it was because his daughter had trouble that he forced her to get married. After the marriage, someone sabotaged them and drove them from Hexi to the south. Zheng Boyuan had become a lieutenant general at Yanmen Pass through his own abilities. Wouldn't it have been much better if he had stayed there?

Xu Di, seeing his mother's expression, knew exactly what she was thinking. He smiled and said to Zheng Boyuan, "You, just stay here and relax. I've found some fishermen by the sea. They've been at sea for years and are very familiar with this area. I'll ask them to take you and help you take care of some of the pirates."

Zheng Boyuan was very pleased to hear this and said, "This is the best. Let those lads practice. No matter how hard they train, they won't know where they're going wrong unless they have a few real matches."

After the meal, Zheng Boyuan hurriedly returned to the ship, while Xu Di went back to the county office, prepared some things, and then rode his horse to the seaside.

The wounded in the three coastal villages have recovered quite well after receiving treatment. Some of them were worried about their families, so with Chen Zhaoci's permission, they returned home. The old woman from the family that Xu Di had visited last time had already returned home with her granddaughter.

After Xu Di arrived, he explained his purpose. Although most of the houses in the village had been burned down, some houses could still be lived in after some simple repairs. The man in the village settled the ten people in the village together and then made room for Zheng Boyuan's soldiers so that they would have a place to stay.

Xu Di has been busy with the resettlement issue recently. It's not just the soldiers who need to be resettled, but also the people in the villages. Xu Di once thought about merging the three villages into one, but the people in the three villages are all struggling. Merging them into one would mean that some villages would have their names erased, and no one wants to watch their village, where they have lived for decades, be removed from the list.

This was their wish, and Xu Di couldn't go against it. After thinking for a long time, he decided to settle them on the spot.

Since the resettlement is to be carried out on the original site, the other two villages are easy to deal with, but this village closest to the sea is difficult to deal with. After all, there are only these people left in the village. If their original houses are no longer habitable, new houses will have to be built for them to settle down.

The village was called Xiaowangzhuang, and most of the villagers were surnamed Wang. The man was called Wang Erfu. Xu Di later chatted with him and learned that he was in his forties and that he and his youngest son were the only ones left at home this time.

Xu Di went to Xiaowangzhuang. Wang Erfu was tying up the fence with sorghum stalks. When he saw Xu Di arrive, he quickly went to greet him.

Xu Di followed him into the room and saw that it was much cleaner than the last time he came. He couldn't help but nod. As long as people have hope, they have something to strive for in order to keep living.

Wang Erfu quickly asked his youngest son to boil water, but Xu Di stopped him, saying, "Brother Wang, no need. I came here to discuss some things with you. I'll leave after we're done."

Wang Erfu wouldn't allow it and insisted that the child boil water. The child, who was about ten years old, obediently went outside to fetch firewood and brought it in to add water and boil the pot.

Xu Di took a small stool and sat near the stove. Wang Erfu had no choice but to find half a piece of wood and sit with Xu Di.

Xu Di said, "Brother Wang, the soldiers from Yuezhou have arrived. I plan to build a military camp near your three villages by the sea."

Upon hearing this, Wang Erfu said happily, "Sir, this is a good thing! As long as we set up camp here, those Japanese pirates won't dare to come ashore."

Xu Di smiled and said, "Brother Wang, since you're going to build a military camp in the village, you'll have to encroach on some of our village's land. I came here to discuss this with you and see what a suitable solution we can come up with."

Upon hearing this, Wang Erfu took out his pipe from his waistband, tapped it, but didn't light it. He just put the mouthpiece in his mouth, thought for a moment, and said, "Sir, to be honest, it's not easy for people in the village to build a house. Some houses have been built and lived in for generations. I can't take care of those houses that no longer exist, but those who remain should take good care of the houses passed down in their families."

The houses in Xiaowangzhuang are all made of adobe walls and thatched roofs. The thatch is a special type of thatch found in some saline-alkali lands by the sea. It cannot be used for a long time because it is easy to leak. Therefore, many families have to renovate their roofs every two or three years.

Xu Di thought for a moment and said, "Brother Wang, you've done the count. There are actually five families left in your village. How about this, I'll requisition the entire village and build five brick and tile houses for you next to the barracks. What do you think?"

Living in a brick and tile house is something many villagers dream of. Wang Erfu never expected such a good thing to happen, and for a moment he didn't know how to react.

Xu Di, seeing this, did not force him to express his opinion, but simply waited quietly for Wang Erfu to come to his senses. When Wang Erfu came to his senses, he said in surprise, "Sir, is this true?"

Xu Di nodded and said, "The Ministry of War has provided a sum of money as resettlement expenses for the soldiers who came from Yuezhou. Our location is special, and we may need to station troops here for a long time in the future. I have discussed this with General Zheng, and we will settle them in these three villages. However, there is one condition: I can only build houses for you according to the number of households. You cannot cause trouble because one family has one person or another family has three people. Can you guarantee that?"

Without hesitation, Wang Erfu said, "Sir, I can't guarantee anything else, but I can guarantee this."

Xu Di stood up and said, "Since you can guarantee it, I will have someone bring the contract over so that the people in your village can sign and affix their fingerprints. Some families only have children left, so they need you as a guarantor. Is that alright?"

Wang Erfu nodded repeatedly, saying, "Of course, no problem."