民(🈯)国(guó )4年,袁世凯意图(tú )(🐽)称(chēng )帝,政(zhèng )局动荡是年秋,吴淞(sōng )(🕸)镇(🛍)大(🔱)火(huǒ )(🕰),灾(zāi )民数(shù )以万计,本(🥈)就鱼(🛤)龙(lóng )(🌰)混杂的吴淞镇显得更为(wéi )动荡不安。因地方善(shàn )款(📼)筹集(🚤),吴淞镇重修居民,却在某宅架梁时出(✳)现意外(wài ),期间(jiān )爆出一(yī )具男尸(🎫),其状诡异,引(yǐn )得(🚸)镇(zhèn )上流言(yán )纷(🕕)起,镇(zhèn )民惶恐,募资请僧道做法驱邪(📯)超(chāo )度,期间亦有江湖术士混事,搅得镇上一派乌烟瘴气(qì )。镇(zhèn )保卫团团长陆(🙉)悦戎行(háng )伍出身(🍄),最(🥫)是不信神(🔔)鬼之(zhī )说,,见此(👺)情形不由大怒(nù )(🕐),一(🧟)面下(🧣)令驱散(🕯)僧道术(shù )士,一面差人找来镇上义庄仵工吴云根、柳归(🐛)元师徒(🐨),命(mìng )(🥋)其验尸查明死因,以正视(shì )(😝)听。镇上落魄乡绅少爷石乐(lè )志少(📛)年(🔤)游(yóu )历颇广,得(👵)知此案(🥅)后便赶(gǎn )来查(chá )看,又见陆(lù )香邑在场,欲有所表现,当下(xià )一味(wèi )指(🍁)点评说(shuō ),言语(yǔ )间对吴云根、柳归元师徒颇为不(bú )屑(✖)。吴(💑)云(🎴)根(😉)对(duì )此(🚩)不以为意,自(🈺)顾检(jiǎn )验死者身(🐈)上的绿芽,神(🈂)情颇为(wéi )震惊,继(😲)而借故(🏡)推托似有(🙅)隐情(🛌),期间语焉不详。