民(🈯)国(guó )4年,袁世凯意(yì )图称帝,政局动荡是(🌰)年秋(🕋),吴(wú )淞镇(🛍)大火,灾民数(🎺)以万计,本就鱼龙混(🍖)杂的(de )吴淞镇(zhèn )显得更为动荡不安。因地方善款(kuǎn )(📼)筹集,吴(⚫)淞镇重修居民,却(què )在某宅(🕯)架(jià )梁时出现意外,期间爆(🐖)出(chū )一具男尸(🎫),其状诡(🍮)异,引得(dé )镇(🖍)上流言纷起,镇民(🤷)惶恐,募资(🌙)请僧道(dào )做法驱(qū )邪(xié )超度,期间亦有江(jiāng )(💱)湖术(shù )士混(🌊)事,搅得镇上一派乌烟瘴(zhàng )(🏂)气。镇保卫团团长陆悦戎行(🎾)伍出身,最(zuì )是(🤷)不信神(🔔)鬼之(🤲)说,,见此情形不由(yóu )大怒,一(yī )面下(xià )令驱(qū )散僧道(👣)术士(🤘),一面差人找来镇上(shàng )义(yì )庄(zhuāng )仵(🚗)工(gōng )吴云根(gēn )、(➡)柳归元师徒,命其验(🃏)尸查(💅)明死因,以(🐩)正(💯)视听。镇上落魄乡(xiāng )绅少(shǎo )爷(yé )(🔍)石乐志少年游(yóu )历(lì )颇广,得知此案后便(biàn )赶来查(chá )看(🚲),又见陆香(xiāng )(🌱)邑在场,欲有(yǒu )(💣)所表(🚡)现,当(dāng )下(🏓)一味指点评说,言语间对吴(🍺)云(🔪)根(🐂)、柳归元师徒颇为不屑。吴云根对此不以为意(❄),自顾检(🧥)验死者身上的(de )绿(lǜ )芽(🌲),神情(qíng )(🚪)颇为震(zhèn )(🖱)惊,继而借故推托似有(🙅)隐情,期(🕵)间语(yǔ )焉不详。