民国4年,袁世凯(⛲)意图称帝,政局动荡是(🌰)年秋,吴淞镇大火,灾民数(shù )以(yǐ )万计,本就鱼龙混杂的吴(wú )淞镇显得(dé )更为(wéi )(📿)动荡不(bú )安(🎲)。因地方(🏇)善款(📼)筹(chóu )集,吴淞镇(zhèn )(🕔)重(chóng )(🔸)修居民,却在某宅架梁(liáng )时(💆)出现意外(wài )(🛹),期间(🚥)爆(bào )出(🕌)一具男(🎿)尸,其(🗑)状诡(guǐ )异(yì ),引得(🚸)镇上流(🐶)言(yán )纷起(🤯),镇(zhèn )民惶(huáng )恐,募资请(📎)僧道做法驱(qū )邪超(chāo )度,期间(🖲)亦有江湖(hú )术士混事,搅得镇上一派乌烟瘴(zhàng )气(🙌)。镇保卫(🙄)团团长陆悦(yuè )戎行伍出身,最是不信(🧤)神鬼之(zhī )说,,见(jiàn )此(cǐ )情形不(bú )由大怒,一面下令驱散(🕯)僧道术(shù )士,一面差人找来镇上义庄仵(🚗)工吴云(yún )根、柳归(🐛)元(yuán )(🌹)师徒(🐨),命其验尸查明(míng )死(sǐ )(🚶)因,以正(zhèng )视(shì )听。镇上落(🎥)魄乡(xiāng )(🈺)绅(shēn )少(shǎo )爷石(😙)乐(🤥)志少年(🔤)游(👌)历颇广,得知此案后便赶来查看,又见陆香邑在场,欲有所表现(🌸),当下一味指(🍁)点(diǎn )评说,言(yán )语间(📤)对吴云根(gēn )、柳归(⏺)元师徒颇为(❓)不(bú )屑。吴(💑)云(yún )根对(🚤)此不以为意,自顾检验死者身(shēn )(🐈)上的绿芽,神(🈂)情颇为震惊(jīng ),继而借(jiè )故推托似有隐情(qíng ),期(🕵)间(🎞)语焉(yān )不详(♊)。