Resolving Reference Names in project file - msbuild

Question

Scenario:
I'm working on an aspect framework and intercept the build process using MSBuild Tasks. I want to manipulate source files prior to the internal build process using roslyn.
For development purposes i've hardlinked the inserted references like this (which i can't use in the actual solution):
yield return MetadataReference.CreateFromFile(typeof(object).Assembly.Location);
which is resolved to this:
C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.Net\assembly\GAC_MSIL\System.Core\v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089\System.Core.dll
The .csproj file contains references in this form:
<Reference Include="System" />
<Reference Include="System.Core" />
<Reference Include="System.Xml.Linq" />
<Reference Include="System.Data.DataSetExtensions" />
<Reference Include="Microsoft.CSharp" />
<Reference Include="System.Data" />
<Reference Include="System.Xml" />
With this:
<TargetFrameworkVersion>v4.5.2</TargetFrameworkVersion>
Problem:
My problem is that the path of the assembly for "System" (for example) depends on the project file .net version, so i'm wondering about the best way to get the location depending on what .net version to build the project file with.
Research so far:
MSbuild:
I have looked into MSBuild commandline args to see if this offers a way to get the location of an assembly by its name and net version here:
https://msdn.microsoft.com/de-de/library/ms164311.aspx
Roslyn:
https://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/vstudio/en-US/63f716d8-734e-4ea3-b72a-1e64a5773bc9/how-do-i-use-assemblynamereference?forum=roslyn (this does not work with current version of roslyn anymore, which makes sense since it has no version info either)
http://zacharysnow.net/2014/04/15/adding-assembly-references-in-roslyn.html
All resources # https://github.com/dotnet/roslyn/blob/master/docs/samples/
Currently i can only think of one rather ugly solution which would be going through all framework directories available on the host and mapping versions to names and locations manually. (Using info obtained here https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh925568(v=vs.110).aspx, since that provides me with framework install paths or using this method: http://www.hexcentral.com/articles/framework-folder.htm)
I'm just hoping there is a better way.
Any help is welcome. Unfortunately searching for words like "assembly by name and version" and its' variations didn't find anything helpful for me.
Update 1:
Roslyn / Find References - Can't properly load Workspace
This would fix the problem for me but it requires MSBuild 14. unfortunate - i don't want to depend on that being installed on the building host.