民(mín )(🈯)国4年(nián )(🌠),袁世凯意(yì )图(tú )称(🥇)帝,政局动荡是年秋(🕋),吴淞(sōng )镇大火,灾(zāi )民数以万计,本(běn )就(🐉)鱼龙混杂的吴淞镇(🥩)显(xiǎn )得(😧)更(gèng )为(wéi )动荡不安(ān )。因(yīn )地(dì )方善款筹(😎)集(jí ),吴淞镇重(chóng )(🔸)修居(🎩)民,却在某(mǒu )宅(zhái )(🕯)架(jià )梁(🙍)时出现意外,期间爆(🐖)出(chū )一具男(nán )尸(🎫),其状诡异,引得镇上流言纷起(qǐ ),镇民惶恐(kǒng ),募资请僧道(🚣)做法驱邪超度,期间(🖲)亦有(❔)江湖术士混事,搅得镇(🗞)上一派乌烟(🐑)瘴(zhàng )气。镇(🤸)保卫团(㊙)团(tuán )长(🙀)陆(lù )(🙉)悦戎(róng )行伍出(chū )身,最是不信神鬼(🚻)之说,,见此(👺)情形不由大怒,一面(🚴)下令驱(qū )(⚾)散僧道术士,一面(💝)差(💹)人找来(lái )镇上义庄(💍)仵工吴云(yún )根(🈸)、柳归元师徒,命其验尸查明(míng )死因,以正视听(tīng )。镇(zhèn )上(shàng )落魄乡绅少爷石乐志少年游历颇广,得(👵)知此案后便(🍽)赶(🏃)来(lái )查(chá )看,又(yòu )见(🌂)陆(lù )香邑在场,欲有所表(🚡)现,当下(xià )一味指(zhǐ )点评(píng )说,言语(yǔ )间对吴(🍺)云根、柳归元师徒(tú )颇(🤼)为不屑。吴云根对此不以(⛴)为(wéi )(🏸)意(yì ),自(zì )顾(gù )(⏺)检验死者身(🐈)上(🔬)的绿芽,神情颇为震惊(jīng ),继而借故(🏡)推托(tuō )似(sì )(🈸)有隐情,期间语(🚓)焉不详。