民国4年,袁(yuán )世(shì )凯(🥇)意(yì )图(tú )称帝,政局动荡是年秋,吴淞镇大火,灾民数以万计,本就鱼龙混杂(🐮)的吴淞镇显(xiǎn )得更(gèng )(👋)为动(dòng )荡不安。因地(📼)方善款筹(⚫)集(🐿),吴(wú )淞镇(zhèn )重修居(🛍)民(mín ),却(🕯)在某宅架(jià )梁时出(chū )现(🚉)意外,期间爆(bào )出一具男尸,其状诡异,引得镇上(shàng )(🕕)流言纷起,镇民惶恐(🌙),募资请(qǐng )(🔩)僧道做法驱邪超度(🖲),期(❔)间亦(yì )有江湖术士混事,搅得(dé )镇上一(🐑)派乌(wū )烟瘴气(🌞)。镇(zhèn )保(bǎo )卫团团(💪)长陆(lù )悦戎行(🍄)伍出(🥫)身,最(zuì )是(shì )不信(xìn )神鬼之(zhī )说,,见(🏯)此情形不由大(dà )怒,一(yī )面下(🕯)令驱散僧道(🈁)术士,一面差人(rén )找(👊)来镇上(🚗)义(🐾)庄(zhuāng )仵(😊)工(🈸)吴(wú )云根、柳(⛏)归元师徒,命其(💅)验尸查明(míng )死因,以正视(🙎)听。镇(🐡)上落魄乡绅少爷石(shí )乐(🔤)志少年(📸)游历(lì )颇广,得知此案后便赶(🚲)来查(🔎)看,又(🌱)见(jiàn )(👄)陆香(🆙)邑在场(chǎng ),欲(yù )(🚡)有所表(⏳)现,当下一味指点评说,言语间(jiān )对吴云根、柳归元(🤼)师徒颇(pō )为不屑。吴云根对此不以(yǐ )为意(⏺),自(🔮)顾检验(🐈)死者身上(🌲)的绿芽,神(shén )情颇为震惊,继(jì )而借(jiè )故推托(tuō )似有隐情,期间(🐇)语焉(yān )不详。