民国(guó )4年,袁(😘)世凯意图称(🕰)帝,政局(🎺)动(dòng )荡是年(🆖)秋,吴(wú )淞镇大火,灾民数以万(🎾)计(📿),本就鱼龙混(❣)杂的(🏇)吴(wú )淞镇显得更(gèng )为动(🕔)荡不安(🎩)。因地方善(shàn )款筹(chóu )(👁)集,吴淞(sōng )镇重(chóng )修居(jū )民(mín ),却(què )在某宅架梁时出现意外,期(🚸)间(jiān )爆(🚑)出一具男尸,其状诡(💞)异,引(yǐn )得镇上流(liú )言(🥁)纷起,镇民惶恐,募资请僧道做法驱邪(🥔)超度,期(📙)间(jiān )亦有(🐑)江湖(🙌)术士混(hún )事,搅得镇上一派乌(wū )烟瘴气。镇保卫(wèi )团(tuán )团长陆(lù )悦戎(😍)行(💠)伍(wǔ )(👺)出身,最是不信神鬼(guǐ )之(🧣)说(🤖),,见此情形不由大怒,一面下令驱(🛎)散僧(sēng )道(🐾)术(shù )士(shì ),一面差(🐛)人找(⛏)来(🐨)镇(zhèn )(👪)上义庄(🃏)仵工吴云(yún )根、柳(🐩)归元师(🔈)徒(tú ),命其验尸查明死因,以正(📛)视听。镇上落魄乡绅(shēn )少爷石乐志少年(nián )游历颇广,得知此案后便赶来(lái )查看,又见陆香(🍁)邑在场,欲有所表现,当下一味指点评(💅)说(shuō ),言(📬)语间对吴云根(gēn )、柳(liǔ )归(guī )元师徒颇为(wéi )不(bú )(🧥)屑。吴(🈳)云根(gēn )对此不以(💕)为意(🚪),自顾检验死者(🐅)身上的绿芽,神(shén )情颇为震惊,继而(♊)借故推(tuī )(🏗)托似(sì )有(🏆)隐情(qíng ),期间(jiān )语焉(yān )不(🐸)详。