民国(🕕)4年(🌠),袁世凯(kǎi )意(yì )图(🐽)称帝(📼),政局动荡是年(🃏)秋,吴(🕟)淞(sōng )镇(zhèn )大火,灾(🤴)民数(🎺)以万(🎗)计,本(🥈)就(🐉)鱼龙(lóng )混(hún )(🍖)杂(zá )(🔬)的吴淞镇显(xiǎn )得更(🎾)为动荡(dàng )不安。因地方善款筹(😎)集(jí ),吴淞(🐿)镇重(chóng )(🔸)修居民(🤷),却(què )在某宅架(👁)梁时出现意外,期间爆出(chū )一具男(🎿)尸,其状诡(guǐ )异,引得镇(🖍)上流言纷起,镇民惶恐,募资请僧道做法(🥁)驱(🌚)邪超度(🛑),期间(jiān )亦有(yǒu )江(jiāng )湖术士(shì )混事,搅得(💻)镇(zhèn )上(shàng )一派乌烟瘴气(🙌)。镇保卫(wèi )团(㊙)团(👓)长陆(🙉)悦戎行伍出身(shēn ),最是不信神鬼之(zhī )说,,见(💠)此(cǐ )(👺)情形不由大(🥕)怒,一面(miàn )下(🧣)令驱散(sàn )僧道术士,一面差人找来镇上(shàng )义(yì )庄(zhuāng )仵工吴云根、柳(liǔ )归元师(shī )徒(🐨),命其验尸查明死因(yīn ),以正视听。镇(zhèn )上落(🎥)魄乡绅(🤔)少爷(yé )石乐(lè )志少(shǎo )年游历颇(pō )广(🥤),得知此案后(hòu )(🐞)便赶(gǎn )来查看,又见陆香邑(👄)在(🐖)场,欲有所表现,当下(xià )一味指点评说,言(👗)语间对吴云根、柳归(⏺)元师徒颇为(wéi )不屑。吴云根(gēn )对此(cǐ )不以为意(yì ),自顾检验(yàn )死者身上的(🍯)绿芽,神(shén )情颇为震(🖱)惊,继(jì )而(ér )借故推托似有(🙅)隐情(🛌),期间语焉不详。