Three Kingdoms: From the Start, I Was a Beggar

On his way home on leave from military service, Liu Wen saves someone and transmigrates into the body of a beggar in the late Eastern Han dynasty. A beggar from the start? No way. He first joins the Yellow Turban army as a foot soldier, then gets Zhou Cang before anyone else. After saving Zhao Yun and Dian Wei, he persuades Guo Jia and Zhi Cai to join him, completing his first step. He then brews potent liquor and writes a hugely popular story about Pan Jinlian, earning his first fortune. Next, he uses the Ten Attendants to clear his name and takes the name Liu Wen, courtesy name Xuande, claiming descent from Prince Jing of Zhongshan. He joins the campaign against Dong Zhuo and successfully steals Liu Bei's second brother right out from under him. He fights east in Qing Province, north against Yuan Shao, and battles Cao Cao three times. Then he takes on Liu Bei and Sun Quan, steadily making his way to the throne. A bad start doesn't matter: you can make it on your own! It doesn't matter that he never got Zhuge Liang. After all, Zhuge Liang still lost when he stood by Liu Bei.