民国4年,袁(🔨)世(🆓)凯意图称帝,政局动(🍩)荡是(🌰)年秋,吴(🕟)淞(sōng )镇大(dà )火,灾(zāi )民数以万计(🎹),本就鱼(🛤)龙混杂的吴淞镇显得更为(wéi )动荡不安。因地方善(♑)款(📼)筹集,吴淞镇(🕔)重修(👑)居民(mín ),却在某宅架梁时出现(🔲)意(yì )外(🛹),期(qī )间爆出一(🛺)具男尸(shī ),其状诡异(✖),引得镇(🖍)上流(🐶)言纷起(qǐ )(🤯),镇民惶恐,募资(zī )请僧道做法驱(qū )(🌚)邪超度(🛑),期间亦有(yǒu )江(💱)湖术(shù )士混(🌊)事,搅得(dé )(💻)镇上(shàng )一(📙)派乌(✋)烟(🐑)瘴气。镇保(bǎo )卫团团(tuán )长陆悦戎行伍出身,最(zuì )是(🤷)不信(🧤)神鬼之说(🕙),,见此情形不由大怒,一面下(xià )令驱散僧道术士,一面(miàn )差人找来镇上义庄仵(wǔ )工吴(wú )云根、柳(liǔ )归元(yuán )师徒,命其(qí )验尸查(chá )明死(sǐ )(🚶)因,以正视听。镇(zhèn )上落魄乡绅少(shǎo )爷(🔍)石(shí )乐志少(shǎo )年游历颇广(guǎng ),得(👵)知此案后便赶来查(chá )看(🚲),又见(jiàn )陆(lù )香(xiāng )邑在场,欲有(yǒu )所表(🚡)现,当下一味(wèi )(🎐)指点评说(🕕),言(yán )语间对(duì )吴云根、柳(liǔ )归元(👩)师徒(💅)颇为(wéi )不屑。吴云根对此不以(yǐ )(⛴)为意(yì ),自顾检验死者身(🐈)上(🔬)的绿芽,神情(🚪)颇为震惊,继而借(⛅)故推托似有(yǒu )隐(🛃)情,期(🕵)间语(🚓)焉不详。