民国4年,袁世凯意图(🐽)称帝,政局动荡(🔼)是年(🃏)秋(🕋),吴淞(🕸)镇(zhèn )大火,灾民(mín )数(🎺)以万计(jì ),本就鱼龙混杂(🔬)的吴淞镇显得更为动荡不安。因地(dì )方善(shàn )款(📼)筹集,吴(⚫)淞(🐿)镇重修居民,却(què )在某(🕖)宅架梁时出(✳)现意外(🛹),期(qī )间爆出一具男尸,其(qí )(🗑)状诡异(✖),引得镇(zhèn )上(shàng )流言(🥀)纷(🕕)起,镇民惶恐(kǒng )(💞),募资请僧道做法驱邪超度,期间亦(yì )有江湖术士混事(㊗),搅(jiǎo )得镇上一(📙)派乌(✋)烟瘴(zhàng )气。镇保卫团(㊙)团长陆悦(💪)戎(róng )行伍出(chū )(🈴)身,最是不(👃)信神(🔔)鬼之说(shuō ),,见(jiàn )(💠)此情形不由大怒,一面下令(🤖)驱散僧道(👣)术(shù )士(🤘),一面(💝)差(chà )(💹)人找来镇上义庄仵工(gōng )吴(wú )云(yún )根、柳归元师徒,命其验尸查明死因,以正视听(tīng )。镇上落魄(🐡)乡绅少爷石(😙)乐志少(📛)年游历(lì )颇(pō )广,得知此(💸)案后便(🍽)赶来查看(kàn ),又见陆(lù )香邑(yì )在场,欲(yù )有(yǒu )所表现,当(⏳)下一味指点评说,言语间对吴云根、柳归(guī )元师徒颇(🤼)为(wéi )(❓)不(📬)屑。吴云根对此不以为(🏸)意(yì ),自(🈺)顾(⏺)检验死(sǐ )者身(shēn )上(shàng )的绿芽,神情颇为震惊,继而借(jiè )故推托似(sì )有隐(yǐn )(🛃)情(qíng ),期间语焉(📯)不详。