民(mín )国4年(nián ),袁世凯意图称帝,政局(jú )(🎹)动荡(dàng )是年秋,吴淞镇(zhèn )(🗼)大火(🥩),灾(😧)民(🎾)数以万计,本就鱼(yú )龙混杂的(de )吴淞镇显得更为(wéi )动荡不安。因(yīn )地(🕯)方善款筹(chóu )集,吴淞(🚉)镇(zhèn )重(chóng )修居民,却在某宅架(jià )梁时出现意外(🖍),期间爆(🕕)出一具男(nán )尸(shī ),其状诡异,引(🚣)得(dé )(🔩)镇(🥁)上流言纷起(⏯),镇民惶恐,募资请僧道做法(💻)驱邪超度,期(qī )间(jiān )亦有(yǒu )江湖术士混(hún )事,搅(jiǎo )得镇上(shàng )(⏰)一(yī )(🈴)派乌烟(yān )瘴气。镇保卫团团长陆悦戎行伍出(🎋)身,最(zuì )是不(bú )(🚴)信神鬼之说,,见此情(qíng )形不(💹)由大怒,一(yī )(👊)面下令驱(qū )散(🦇)僧道术士,一面(miàn )差人(👪)找来(🤷)镇上(shàng )义庄仵(wǔ )工吴(📟)云根、(😝)柳归元师徒,命其(🤔)验尸查(chá )明(míng )死因(📛),以(yǐ )(👌)正视(shì )听(tīng )(🥤)。镇上落魄乡绅少爷(🔞)石(shí )乐志少年游历颇广,得知此(💣)案(àn )后便(biàn )赶来查(chá )看,又(🍁)见陆香邑(yì )(😳)在场(chǎng ),欲(🚻)有(🍺)所表(biǎo )现,当(⏺)下一味(💅)指点(❓)评说,言语间(😉)对吴云根、柳归元师徒颇为不屑。吴(wú )云根对此不(bú )以(yǐ )为意(🖱),自顾检验死者身上的绿(🛃)芽(🛌),神情颇为(📯)震惊(jīng ),继(🔍)而(🏗)借(🍉)故推(tuī )托似有隐情(qíng ),期间语焉不详。