民国(guó )4年(🌠),袁世凯意(✒)图称帝,政局动荡是年秋,吴淞镇大火,灾民数以(yǐ )万(wàn )计,本(🥈)就鱼龙混杂的吴淞镇(zhèn )显(💤)得更为(wéi )动(🌫)荡(👋)不安。因地(dì )方(fāng )善款筹集(🚤),吴(⚫)淞(🐿)镇重修居(🎩)民,却(què )在某宅架梁(liáng )(🙍)时出现意(🥄)外,期(🏐)间爆(🐖)出(chū )一具(📞)男(🎿)尸,其(🗑)状(zhuàng )诡异,引得镇(zhèn )上流言(yán )(🥀)纷起,镇(🐖)民(mín )惶(huáng )(🔊)恐,募资(zī )请僧道(🚣)做法驱邪超度,期(😞)间亦有江湖术(shù )士混事,搅得镇上(shàng )一(yī )派乌烟(🐑)瘴气。镇保卫团团(tuán )长陆悦戎行(háng )伍出身,最是不信神(shén )鬼之(zhī )说,,见此(cǐ )情形不由(yóu )大怒(🕐),一面下令驱散(🕯)僧道术士,一(❕)面差人找来(🥊)镇上义庄仵工(gōng )吴云根、(➡)柳归元师徒,命(mìng )(🥋)其验(🃏)尸查明死(sǐ )因,以(yǐ )正视听。镇上落魄乡(🈺)绅少爷(yé )石乐(lè )志(zhì )少年游历(lì )(💏)颇广,得知此案后(🐞)便赶(gǎn )来查看,又见陆香(xiāng )邑在(zài )场(🆙),欲有所表现,当下一味指点评(píng )说,言语(yǔ )间对吴(wú )云(🔪)根(🐂)、柳归(⏺)元(👩)师(shī )徒(tú )颇为(❓)不屑(xiè )。吴云根(gēn )对(🚤)此不以(yǐ )(⛴)为意,自(zì )顾(⏺)检验死者身上(🔬)的绿(🔍)芽,神情(qíng )颇(pō )为震惊(jīng )(💛),继而借故推托似(sì )有(yǒu )隐情,期(🕵)间语焉(yān )不详。