Lai Choi San has been referred to as a female "Robin Hood" figure, however she and her crew were often paid protection money by local merchants and operated with little interference from either Portuguese or Chinese authorities since inheriting the fleet from her father upon his death.
Lai Choi San er blevet omtalt som en kvindelig "Robin Hood" -figur, men hun og hendes besætning blev ofte betalt beskyttelsespenge af lokale købmænd og opererede med ringe indblanding fra hverken portugisiske eller kinesiske myndigheder efter, at hun havde arvet flåden fra sin fader ved hans død.