Plucking the Colors of Spring

[The first book. It has an unconventional style and little romance, so feel free to skip it.] Wei law: If an unmarried woman is seventeen or an unmarried man is twenty, their parents are guilty, and the local official must arrange a marriage for them. Changting will turn seventeen after the New Year. To avoid being forcibly married off by the court, she's rushing to find a husband. Su Yan, who is about to turn twenty, is also being pressured by his uncles to marry. This family background is too lowly, so he's out! This one wants me as his second wife? Dream on! I hear this man is sickly, so that's a no! Changting eliminates potential husbands from her list one by one. This one... is the nephew of Minister Su, and his father is even the governor of Qizhou! Changting shrinks back. He's a fine cabbage, but... a friend's brother is off-limits. I can't afford to pluck this cabbage... The Three Excellencies scheme against one another, and the court is rife with intrigue. Changting's father is dragged into their power struggle, convicted, and thrown into prison. Changting runs around everywhere but keeps hitting dead ends. Now she has two choices. First, marry the sickly Prince of Qinghe, who could drop dead at any moment, and take advantage of the Eight Deliberations to clear her father's name. Second, become the second wife of Grand Commandant Xue's ill-intentioned younger brother, and have the Grand Commandant's residence settle things for her. As Changting agonizes over what to do, a case file unexpectedly appears, and its clues point straight to Qizhou. But Qizhou is... After much deliberation, Changting finds herself a third option. One night, the headstrong girl who once angrily declared, "I, Changting of Bohai, will never marry in my life, and I won't marry you, you bastard!" gazes eagerly at the aloof young gentleman seated above her. You said we could just make do with each other. Is that still on the table? Theme: Pluck a branch of spring blossoms and send my love to you.