it's that master cylinder that does the split. This is from 'How Stuff Works' web page:

To increase safety, most modern car brake systems are broken into two circuits, with two wheels on each circuit. If a fluid leak occurs in one circuit, only two of the wheels will lose their brakes and your car will still be able to stop when you press the brake pedal. The master cylinder supplies pressure to both circuits of the car. It is a remarkable device that uses two pistons in the same cylinder in a way that makes the cylinder relatively failsafe. The combination valve warns the driver if there is a problem with the brake system, and also does a few more things to make your car safer to drive.

Sounds like you might have a few problems Chris