民(🍩)国(guó )4年,袁世凯意(yì )图称帝,政局动(dòng )荡是(🎹)年(nián )秋,吴(🛤)淞(🌰)镇(🍖)大火,灾民数以万(🎾)计,本就鱼龙混(hún )(❣)杂的吴淞镇显得更为动荡(🔸)不安(ān )。因地方善款(kuǎn )筹集,吴(✳)淞镇重修居民,却在某宅(🎿)架梁(liáng )(🥞)时出现意(yì )外,期(🚸)间(jiān )爆(bào )出一具男(nán )(🤯)尸,其状诡(💞)异,引得镇上(🚣)流言(🥁)纷起,镇民惶恐,募(mù )资请僧道做法(㊗)驱邪超度,期(qī )间亦(yì )有江湖术(🤠)士混事,搅得(🙀)镇(zhèn )上一(⛓)派乌(⏰)烟(yān )瘴气。镇(zhèn )保卫团团长陆悦(⛳)戎行伍出身(🏯),最是不(🕐)信神(🧟)鬼之说(shuō ),,见此情形不(bú )由大怒,一面(miàn )下令驱散僧道术士(shì ),一面差人找(zhǎo )来(🐨)镇上义庄(zhuāng )仵(🌪)工吴(🌼)云根、柳归元师徒,命(mìng )(💿)其(🎥)验尸(shī )查明(míng )(📧)死因,以正视(shì )听。镇上(shàng )(🥤)落魄乡绅少(🥅)爷(🐞)石乐志(zhì )少(shǎo )(🏴)年游历颇(pō )广,得知(zhī )此(cǐ )案后便赶(🔥)来查看(kàn ),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(🈺)为不(bú )屑。吴(🈳)云根对此不(bú )以为意(yì ),自顾检验死(😲)者(🐅)身上的绿芽,神(🛃)情(qíng )颇为震(zhèn )惊(jīng )(🚓),继而借故推托(tuō )似有隐(🐣)情(qíng ),期间语焉不详。